John Imes: Germany mission highlights Green Tier

By John Imes

 

Innovative technology, “green building” practices and new directions in environmental governance will be examined by a Wisconsin delegation en route to Germany. By looking beyond the top-down, prescriptive solutions of the past to new strategies and policies, Wisconsin can achieve the environmental quality and healthy business climate it deserves.

 

State Natural Resources Secretary Scott Hassett and state Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn, chairman of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee, will lead the delegation. Leaders from business, building associations, environmental groups and government will also be on hand to explore how Wisconsin’s new Green Tier law may encourage responsible companies to improve environmental performance while boosting productivity and cutting costs. Wisconsin’s law is modeled, in part, after the Environmental Pacts of Bavaria.

 

Wisconsin Environmental Initiative strongly supports cooperative efforts such as these as the best means to solving problems and improving the environment, economy and quality of life in Wisconsin.  As co-leaders of the green development coalition, our objective is to learn about German strategies to encourage and expand green building and development. 

 

Our coalition of builders, developers, and association executives will learn about:

     

  •      Specific best practices or policies that could be adopted by Wisconsin.
  •       The current status of green building and development.
  •       The potential for negotiated agreements between the building industry, government and non-government organizations to set green building and development targets, and;
  •       The effectiveness of incentives such as faster approvals or eco-labeling to spur green building, innovative energy sources and more sustainable development.

 

Here are some examples of what we expect to see in Germany:

 

Innovative housing development:  Featured developments will include mixed-use shops and houses, public green space and environmentally orientated construction.  The Solarsiedlund, (Solar Village) in Freiburg, Germany, is Europe’s most modern solar housing project. Also in Freiburg, a sister city to Madison, is the Valois development, which features more than 400 homes, each with a mini-solar power station. 

 
 

Green urbanism:  German cities are increasingly turning to green roofs, porous pavement, drainage swales, rain gardens and other green infrastructure to minimize, adsorb and cleanse their stormwater runoff.   Defined as basically any roof substantially covered with vegetation, green roofs can retain one or more inches of rainfall, reduce heating and cooling costs up to 50 percent, double a roof’s life, and contribute to a quieter, healthier, more sustainable urban environment.  In Nurnberg, a city of about 200,000 people, more than 40 companies install green roofs and related green infrastructure projects.  The use of green infrastructure has far-reaching potential for helping Wisconsin cities address sewer overflows and stormwater runoff.

 

 

Reliable and environmentally friendly energy: Wisconsin values a balanced approach and diverse energy investments.  Participants will see an industry-scale cogeneration plant that demonstrates the improved energy efficiency, lower costs and reduced air emissions that can be obtained from more decentralized power sources.  Another highlight will be a “zero emission” factory that produces photovoltaic panels.

 

 

New directions in environmental governance:  What sets Germany apart is its “can-do” attitude and demonstrated ability to bring all the players to the table.  Under the Environmental Pacts of Bavaria, government (working with business) sets meaningful environmental goals, provides flexibility and offers incentives such as lower fees or expedited review for superior environmental performance.  German business and trade associations are also increasingly taking responsibility for environmental strategies and performance.

 

 

Similarly, Wisconsin’s new Green Tier law could leverage greater cooperation from reluctant industries, developers, state and local agencies and environmental groups by encouraging them to try something different to achieve environmental and economic development goals.

 

 

There is a better way to achieve superior environmental results and a more productive business climate.  By learning from German successes and encouraging our own policymakers, businesses and other stakeholders to rethink the traditional, litigation-driven solutions of the past, we can go in a new direction in environmental policy – one that results in less waste, lower costs and healthier communities.

 

–Imes is executive director of Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, a statewide coalition based in Madison. DNR Secretary Scott Hassett is due to leave for Germany on Friday Oct. 8.