Green building law expert Shari Shapiro writes about a newcomer to the LEED family: LEED for Neighborhood Development -- and the specter some have raised about the new rating system

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan's unoccupied brownfield sites have the potential of housing renewable energy facilities that could generate 5,855 megawatts, some 17,500 jobs and more than $15 billion in investments, according to a study by the Land Policy Institute at Michigan State University.

Every year, China erects over 20 billion square feet of non-industrial floor area, about 60 percent is residential and the rest is commercial. This building boom covers almost 8,100 square kilometers with concrete and asphalt annually. GreenerBuildings Executive Editor Rob Watson looks at the environmental impact of all the development.

Looking for a respite from the hectic holidays? Leanne Tobias takes you on a virtual tour of El Monte Sagrado. The green haven in the high desert of New Mexico is a testament to sustainable development and was conceived long before the term gained popular currency.

Shangri-La Industries, a sustainable build design and consulting company, has announced the creation of a $100 million green building fund in conjunction with Thompson National Properties.

Wal-Mart Brazil will debut its eco-efficient hypermarket tomorrow in Brazil as part of the company's growing environmental effort. According to representatives, the Campinho store has the largest number of sustainability initiatives of any Wal-Mart building.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A 3,300-acre Superfund site at the once vast Fort Ord in Monterey County has moved from federal hands to a group of local authorities that will oversee a $100 million environmental cleanup funded by the U.S. Army and will set the stage for redevelopment.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's program to help green brownfields is providing more than $500,000 in technical assistance to 16 projects nationwide.

VANCOUVER, CANADA -- A key component of a sweeping mixed-use project to transform 15 acres along the Victoria harborfront has set a record by attaining the highest score to date for a LEED Platinum Certified building, its designers said.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Nearly three-quarters of landscape architects said in a recent survey that their clients are very interested in sustainable issues. Top issues relate to water, energy efficiency, accreditation, habitat and green roofs.

TEANECK, N.J. -- Every year, the Industrial and Office Real Estate Brokers Association of the New York Metropolitan Area (IOREBA) showcases the projects of dozens of regional developers and includes a panel discussion on a pressing industry issue. This year, it was going green.

Constructing a clean and green future for the planet starts at the ground floor and continues all the way up to the penthouse.

RICHMOND, Va. -- A new outpatient healthcare facility in Titusville, Florida, is applying evidence-based design and the latest LEED-certified building technologies to show how the country's hospitals can take the next step forward in providing full-circle healthcare.