New Trends in Sustainable Building: 
A Conversation with Carol J. Patterson, Jean Savitsky and Daniel Nall

With the real estate industry struggling to rebuild, many are turning to green building as a source of new projects and long-term energy savings. Jean Savitsky, Managing Director at Jones Lang LaSalle and Daniel Nall, Director of Sustainability at WSP Flack + Kurtz, sat down with Z&D Senior Partner Carol J. Patterson to discuss the opportunities in sustainable building and the impact it has on the real estate market.

LEED 2009: Decert Anyone?

Patricia A. Harris, LEED AP
Managing Partner
Zetlin & De Chiara LLP

The USGBC introduced LEED Version 3.0 on April 27, 2009. Most interesting, from a legal perspective, is the appearance of the Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs) of LEED 2009. The MPRs are a list of seven requirements with which all projects must conform in order to be eligible for LEED certification:
1. Compliance with

Sustainability: Changing Values Create New Business Opportunities for Green Construction

Carol J. Patterson
Senior Partner
Zetlin & De Chiara LLP

Our firm conducted a roundtable in April of last year, bringing together more than 20 industry experts from a wide variety of professional disciplines to explore their insights on how New York City owners, developers and builders will adopt sustainable construction and energy conservation practices. All agreed the time is now. The question: who

New Laws Mandate Energy Efficiency for Buildings

Kyle Hendrickson, Esq.
Associate
Zetlin & De Chiara LLP

Across the United States and around the world governments are imposing requirements on the private sector in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions and combat global warming. As part of this broader push, New York City recently enacted legislation aimed at reducing the amount of energy used by buildings by increasing energy efficiency. Federal legislation

Implementing Green Initiatives in Commercial Leases

Lori Samet Schwarz, Esq.
Partner
Zetlin & De Chiara LLP

Incorporating sustainable working conditions into commercial buildings has presented a new spate of lease issues for landlords and tenants alike. Both landlord and tenant must approach lease negotiations with an awareness of the costs and benefits that a green lease will bestow on each party. While the landlord seeks to recoup its investment in

Michael Della Rocca Shares Industry Insights with Z&D Partner Michael Zetlin

With funds for infrastructure improvements drying up across the nation, many private companies and government agencies are putting their heads together in creative ways to generate the revenue needed for important construction projects. Public-private partnerships, or P3s, have been one solution to a shortage of funds since the early 1990s.

Navigating the Public Sector: Understanding the Public Design Review Process

Mark your calendars for March 18, 2010 for a special forum on understanding the public design review process, to be held at the Harvard Club of New York City, 33 West 44th Street. This engaging discussion-driven forum presents an overview of the public agency design review process. Learn how to establish successful and productive relationships with these agencies and streamline your

Recent Construction Contract Act Amendments Impact The Owner/Developer – Contractor Relationship

By James J. Terry, Esq. and Kyle Hendrickson, Esq.
Zetlin & De Chiara LLP
On September 8, 2009, the Governor of New York signed into law new legislation amending the Construction Contracts Act (the “Act”).  The amendments to the Act (the “Amendments”) expand the number of contracts subject to the Act, convert many of the Act’s default rules into mandatory requirements and provide

Civil Liability for False Claims in Public Construction

By Michael S. Zetlin, Esq. and Jaimee L. Nardiello, Esq.
Zetlin & De Chiara LLP
The current economic climate has changed the landscape of government-funded construction projects. As the demand for experienced contractors and design professionals and the availability of new construction projects have decreased, those in the industry must do what they can to set themselves apart in order to bring in

Zetlin & De Chiara Sustainability Update

Zetlin & De Chiara has long been a source of wisdom and sound advice for sustainable building. Our partners are proud to provide publications, presentations and programs that spread the green message and help construct an environmentally responsible economy. In keeping with our spirit of environmental responsibility, Zetlin & De Chiara’s Review is now offered in electronic format. Just as we