Goal: Green Economy

Foster a stable and competitive business

climate providing opportunities for the
current and future work force to live in
Montgomery County. Encourage new and
existing businesses that complement the
County’s strengths and serve the county’s
needs.

Content Experts: Dr. Joel Yudken and Dr. Greg Bischak

M-NCPPC Healthy and Sustainable Communities Workshop

June 25 & 26, 2008
 % of County

M-NCPPC
Land in Farms
19

0
20
40
60
80
49
19
53
19
57
19
61
19
65
19
69
19
73
19
77
19
81
Farm Land

19

Year
Number Sold
85
19
89
19

5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000

0
93
1949 19
97
1953 20
01
1957
20
1961 05
20
1965 09
1969
1973
1977
1981

Year
1985 Acres
1989
1993
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000

1997 1949
Nursery and Greenhouse Products Sold

2001 1953
2005 1957
2009
1961

1965
1969

1973
1977
% of Green Collar Jobs - Data in development

1981
Year

1985
Harvested Cropland

1989

1993
1997

2001
2005
Indicators

2009
 Suggested Indicators
• Buildings that are green certified:
– Commercial
– Residential
– Subdivisions
• % of green jobs in Montgomery County
• % of funding to support green businesses
• #/% of businesses that are green-certified
• Total acres/$ invested in farms & agriculture
 Story Behind the Trend lines
Indicator - % of buildings that are green-certified

• Factor #1: County requirement that all buildings will have to

be LEED-certified: suggested to look at higher level of
certification
• Factor #2: Current bias toward high end commercial:
need to look at residential
• Factor #3: Rising energy costs: will likely influence
increase in more voluntary green-certified buildings

M-NCPPC
 Key Partners with a Role to Play

• Businesses
• labor unions
• - particularly building unions
• - steelworkers union
• One-Stop Workforce Development
• “Builders without Borders”
• Business Roundtable for Social Responsibility
• Co-Op America
• Academics (to number crunch)
• Chamber of Commerce
• Community Colleges – Workforce Training

M-NCPPC
 Selected Follow-up Items:

• Systematic effort to look at green economy

indicators and efforts across the country

• Develop a unit of county government/non-

profit to be the “Keeper of the Indicators”

M-NCPPC