Thoughts on construction law from Christopher G. Hill, Virginia construction lawyer, LEED AP, mediator, and member of the Virginia Legal Elite in Construction Law

Construction and Green Building Roundup

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Over the past week or so, several great pieces have been written across the web relating to green building and other construction industry related topics.  Without re-hashing the great analysis found in those articles, I thought that it would be helpful to point them out.

On the green building front, the International Green Construction Code or IGCC (2.0) was introduced at Green Build to much debate and acclaim.   As pointed out by my friend and fellow LEED AP construction attorney, Doug Reiser (@douglasreiser) in his Builder’s Counsel Blog, several states and municipalities have adopted this construction code.  Whether you agree or disagree with this move, it is time to get educated on this development and how it could affect your business going forward.  To do so, check out the webinar and audio at Chris Cheatham’s (@chrischeatham) Green Building Law Update for some great analysis.  Chris also has a series of articles analyzing the IGCC that are worth a read.

On another note, the U. S. Supreme Court recently upheld the constitutionality of the Legal Arizona Workers Act.  While in and of itself this does not implicate construction in Virginia, it very well could.  One aspect of the AZ law is the requirement of the use of E-Verify to determine the immigration status of workers.   The penalty in Arizona is potential revocation of business charters and licenses.  As pointed out by my fellow presenter at Green Matters and pal Scott Wolfe (@scottwolfejr), this latest ruling rekindles the debate relating to E-Verify and could lead to a patchwork of different regulations for those that work in various states or on federal construction projects.  I highly recommend Scott’s analysis of this issue that is linked above.

These latest developments have legal implications for the construction professionals in Virginia and elsewhere.  Regardless of what state you are in, be sure to consult with an experienced construction lawyer in your state as these developments progress.

As always, I welcome your comments below.  Please subscribe to keep up with this and other Construction Law Musings.

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5 Responses to Construction and Green Building Roundup

  1. Green building initiatives have become increasingly common. We have a finite amount of natural resources. In addition to being green, sustainable building saves money in the long run.

  2. Thanks for checking in, and I know that Gilbane is helping with the green building effort.

  3. Here’s the catch…EVerify cannot be used to screen potential employees as this violates something or other of their rights. You can only use EVerify AFTER you have hired someone. I thought I could use EVerify prior to hiring someone and found out I could not. Maybe that will have to change.

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