There are "all kinds of opportunities for providers of green products and services" now that the U.S. General Services Administration has declared its intention to achieve a zero environmental footprint (GBI, June 1, 2010, "Federal Agencies on Track for Submitting Strategic Sustainability Plans"), a strategic adviser for government contracts told attendees of a webinar that Green Building Insider cosponsored July 20. In addressing the attendees, Summit Insight Llc. Chief Executive Officer Judy Bradt outlined seven steps that businesses can take for bettering their odds of securing government contracts. Select comments relating to those steps are included in this edition of GBI.

Also in this issue, the U.S. Department of Energy has adopted a new "cool roofs" policy, the International Code Council has encouraged the U.S. government to reference the International Green Construction Code, several new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design developments have taken place, multiple companies have made strides in their building solar energy projects, there is plenty of new congressional activity on green building legislation to report, and GBI has profiled green building proposals for another five states.

Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin to participate in the Policy Academy on State Building Efficiency Retrofit Programs.