Book Description Review Quotes Contents
Book Description

In 2000, Seattle, Washington, became the first U.S. city to officially adopt the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) “Silver” standards for its own major construction projects. In the midst of a municipal building boom, it set new targets for building and remodeling to LEED guidelines. Its first LEED certified project, the Seattle Justice Center, was completed in 2002. The city is now home to one of the highest concentrations of LEED buildings in the world.

Building an Emerald City is the story of how Seattle transformed itself into a leader in sustainable “green” building, written by one of the principal figures in that transformation. It is both a personal account—filled with the experiences and insights of an insider—and a guide for anyone who wants to bring about similar changes in any city. It includes “best practice” models from municipalities across the nation, supplemented by the contributions of “guest authors” who offer stories and tips from their own experiences in other cities.

Intended as a “roadmap” for policy makers, public officials and representatives, large-scale builders and land developers, and green advocates of every stripe, Building an Emerald City is that rare book—one that is both inspirational and practical.

Review Quotes

"Shifting your city's complexion from gray to green can be fraught with pitfalls. Luckily Lucia Athens is here to provide thoughtful operating instructions, based on real American experiences in building sustainable cities."
Susan S. Szenasy, Metropolis Magazine editor in chief

"Building an Emerald City is a perfect storm; Lucia is the right person at precisely the right time to provide this guide to creating green building policies and programs. Her experiences working with leading green cities are richly detailed and thoughtfully shared. This is mandatory reading for anyone who cares about our future!"
Bob Berkebile, Principal, BNIM Architects

"Cities are in unique positions to address climate change through land use and transportation patterns, and to build sustainable structures. As a local and national founder of the Green Building movement, Lucia Athens's guidance on Green Building is especially useful to all of us involved in City Building."
John Rahaim, planning director, City and County of San Francisco and former planning director

"We hope others who read this have the opportunity to expand their worldview by stretching and challenging assumptions and conventions as Lucia has."
Pliny Fisk III and Gail Vittori, co-directors of the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems

Contents

Foreword by Pliny Fisk III and Gail Vittori
Preface: Setting the StageThe Context for My StoryA Policy Adoption Tale


Chapter 1. Introduction: The Promise of Green BuildingClimate Change and Green Building A Movement Whose Time Has ComeSolutions, Not ProtestsSustainability Goes CorporateWhy City Government?

Chapter 2. Building Support for Green Building InitiativesSustainability CompetitivenessLocal Policies Establishing a Program Context Building Leadership Support Building Stakeholder SupportDeveloping Internal ChampionsOrganizational Positioning Cross-Organizational IssuesProgram Financing StrategiesTips

Chapter 3. Change and Innovation in Markets and OrganizationsMarket PositioningNavigating Change with Early Adopters Program PhasingHow Organizations ChangeOrganizational Culture and Change Marketing and Outreach Tips

Chapter 4. Developing and Implementing Policy for Publicly Funded Green Building Types of MandatesScope of MandatesPolicy Adoption ProcessBudgeting Impacts of MandatesFunding Strategies for Green Capital Improvement ProjectsImplementing a Green Building MandatePlanning and Managing a Large Capital Projects PortfolioTips

Chapter 5. Developing Green Building Program Services Building Design and Certification Tools Education ProgramsTechnical Assistance and CoachingDynamics of the Design and Construction Tips

Chapter 6. Green Building Incentives and Codes Financial IncentivesGreening Building CodesTips

Chapter 7. Measuring Program ImpactsDesigning the Evaluation PlanOutputs and OutcomesMeasuring Market ActivityMeasuring Program ActivityReporting Performance Metrics Tips

Chapter 8. The Road Ahead for Green Building Programs Top Ten Green Building Trends

Appendix A    Public Projects Green Building Portfolio

Appendix B   

Green Building Certification Tools

Acknowledgments