Peter Mithin asks if government should lead be creating and enforcing green building standards, or leading by example instead?
Mithin says that private enterprise has done a fairly good job of pushing green building standards on their own, driven by the economic incentive. But if there is plenty of cheap land and little regulation, business lack that incentive.
Mithin talks with frequent Planetizen contributor and Vancouver planning director Brent Toderian:
"The hope is that you'll inspire the private sector, but the primary tool that municipalities have is regulation. Our main power is not inspiration; our main power is regulation," says Toderian.
FULL STORY: Pushing the building envelope
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Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
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Harvard GSD Executive Education
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NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland