City Weighs Green-Building Law

As seen in the Christian Science Monitor.

A proposed green-building ordinance in San Francisco would transform the construction industry across northern California, impacting everything from city paint shops to local subcontractors .

If passed this month, the ordinance would require most new commercial and residential high-rises to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards. Under LEED, developers must earn credits from a checklist of building practices that reduce the project's carbon footprint.

A number of cities and states, such as New Mexico and Washington, have adopted LEED for public buildings, but San Francisco would mandate it for the private sector as well. If passed, the ordinance would be the most far-reaching in the U.S.

If it kicks off a national trend, it could realign the contours of the trillion-dollar construction industry.