Energy efficiency, resource conservation and economic growth are not necessarily mutually exclusive goals. Businesses and governmental entities that position themselves to pursue sustainable energy and development practices—often referred to as “green” practices—realize financial, societal, and operational rewards.
Balancing environmentally-friendly measures with economic reality, however, can be a challenge. It is an unsettled landscape: the standards used to guide such projects continue to evolve. Conflicts may arise between goals, and tough decisions must be made. Christian & Barton's Sustainability team, which includes attorneys Cliona Mary Robb, LEED® AP, and Christopher M. Gill, LEED® AP, helps clients develop and implement sound practices for the following:
green building design, construction and operation for new and renovated facilities
impact and feasibility of LEED®, Green Globe, ENERGY STAR®, and other third-party certifications
land development, zoning and proffers
environmental due diligence
resource conservation, including reclamation, recycling, and re-use
project financing, tax credits and incentives
renewable energy credits
public and private entity purchases and sales of green energy
alternative energy system development and operation, including hydroelectric, solar, wind, biomass, biofuels, and waste to energy projects
transmission line and utility facility siting
contract drafting and negotiation
environmental and natural resource permitting
contract dispute litigation
intellectual property protection for innovative technologies
public benefit funds
regulatory and legislative advocacy
renewable portfolio standards
alternative energy rate design
utility and developer dispute resolution
transmission interconnection, including PJM
distributed generation
net energy metering
qualified facilities (QFs), combined heat and power, cogeneration and small power producers