Green Building & Sustainable Development

Green building has become a focus in many areas of the United States, and has been a significant focus around the world for decades. Public interests and branches of government are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious. Furthermore, many government buildings are being required to be built in an environmentally-friendly manner, and private building producers are experiencing greater demand for such a product.

While the public sector is primarily responsible for renewable energy policies and green building initiatives, the private sector is also playing a leading role. Public interests have assumed the leadership role in the move towards utilizing—and in some cases, requiring—sustainable building and development practices. The private sector may also take a leading role in this movement by utilizing public incentives and incorporating green programs into developments and investments.

 Jones Walker has worked with pioneers in green building and development across the Gulf South region, and we have played a major role in the region's development. The firm boasts one of the few LEED® AP-certified attorneys in the country, certified in the area of Construction by the U.S. Green Building Council. Our attorneys work closely with the Louisiana Department of Economic Development and the Office of the Governor, which manages issues affecting Louisiana's growth and development, as well as with the local governments and agencies that participate in the review processes; we have represented key parties in the state's growth for decades. We work with clients on a regional and national level to coordinate the various tax programs, credits, and other incentives in this area.

We serve our clients by educating and assisting them with all of their green building needs. As attorneys, we assist our developer clients in gaining LEED® and Green Building Coalition certification for their projects. We also assist clients with obtaining energy efficiency and sustainability incentives from local governments, as well as assisting with obtaining tax incentives or identifying tax credit programs for developments and projects. We draft construction and architectural contracts to provide provisions for complying with green construction, and we assist in establishing benchmarks toward green building, as well as operations to reduce energy use. Jones Walker is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and the U.S. Green Building Council of Louisiana.

Our attorneys can also assist with:

• Advice regarding incentives and tax benefits
• Design and construction contracts, leasing, and financing
• Drafting internal green policies and procedures
• General real estate issues
• LEED® and other certification programs
• Mandatory green building requirements
• Tracking, and perhaps developing, national and local building code requirements
• Voluntary incentive-based green building practices