Looking for policy discussions at Greenbuild? We’ve got you covered

This is a preview of policy sessions at Greenbuild 2026, a large green building conference running October 21-23 in New York. It's aimed at industry professionals, architects, and policymakers rather than homeowners, but the topics touched on do connect to building energy rules that can eventually affect houses and apartments.

Several sessions focus on building performance standards, which are local or state rules requiring large buildings to track and cut energy use and emissions over time. One session looks at how Massachusetts is using building performance data to shape its climate policy, and another examines New York City's Local Law 97, a rule requiring big buildings to meet emissions limits or face penalties. Other sessions cover decarbonizing building portfolios, reusing materials from demolished buildings instead of sending them to landfills, and how data centers affect the communities and power grids around them.

None of this changes anything for homeowners right away. These sessions mostly involve commercial buildings, government agencies, and large property owners working out policy and financing details. But rules like these sometimes trickle down into state energy codes, utility programs, or future rebate rules, so it's worth keeping an eye on whether your state adopts similar performance standards or decarbonization policies down the road.