City Profiles / Medium Cities / Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Green Building

Because buildings account for nearly half of the greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., Cambridge has instituted a Green Building Policy, which includes maintaining a Green Building/Zoning Task Force that addresses any zoning impediments to efficient construction like LEED requirements, green roofs and solar access. It also mandates that all city construction be LEED-certified, and encourages developers to use the same guidelines for private buildings. Cambridge received a $100,000 green schools design grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to renovate Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.