2020 Virginia Legislative Recap

Home » Resource Type » Events » 2020 Virginia Legislative Recap

2020 Virginia Legislative Recap

Home » Resource Type » Events » 2020 Virginia Legislative Recap

The 2020 session of the Virginia General Assembly was a positive one for Virginians who support energy efficiency, sustainability, and resiliency. Many key pieces of legislation were passed, including the Virginia Clean Economy Act, adding momentum to state initiatives promoting a greener, healthier and more efficient environment for all citizens. These important changes in state policy also come in a year when Virginia was ranked at number seven on the list of Top Ten States for LEED, demonstrating that green building is making real progress across the Commonwealth.

Join USGBC’s Senior Policy Council, Liz Beardsley, the Executive Director of the Virginia Energy Efficiency Council, Chelsea Harnish, and Annette Osso, LEED AP, Managing Director, Resilient Virginia, for a policy recap from the 2020 session. Learn what changes you can expect to see going forward, and where your support is still needed to advocate for continued improvement.

Learning objectives:

  • Summarize legislation from the 2020 Virginia state session that relates to the areas of green building, energy efficiency, resiliency, and sustainability;
  • Explore USGBC and VAEEC’s role in working with legislators and sustainability stakeholders;
  • Identify ways the updates in policy affect Virginia’s ability to pursue LEED and other green building certifications; and
  • Discuss opportunities to continue advocating for improvements in green building, energy, and resiliency policies at the state and local levels.

This event is the second of a four-part co-hosted series by Resilient Virginia’s Resiliency Academy and USGBC Virginia that explores the intersection of resiliency and green building.

Cost: Use the discount code “ResilientVA” for a 50% discount off the $10 general admission.

Become a Member
Become a Sponsor
Become a Volunteer

Sign Up for E-News

Get news and notifications from Resilient Virginia.

The Resilience Calendar

  • Accelerating Climate Progress with AI: From Science to Action Workshop
    Date: January 13, 2026
    Location: Virtual

    The National Academies is organizing a workshop to explore innovative ways AI can enhance climate science and support decision-making for resilience and mitigation. The workshop will identify critical applications where AI can inform climate…

  • RVCA Agriculture Working Group
    Date: January 22, 2026
    Location: Virtual

    Resilient Virginia Collaborative Alliance Agriculture Working Group monthly meeting. Anyone is welcome to join the conversation!

    RVCA Agriculture Working Group
    Thursday, October 23 · 11:00am – 12:00pm
    Time zone: America/New_York

  • NCASC Webinar Series: Incorporating the RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) Framework into Resource Management Planning
    Date: January 22, 2026
    Location: Virtual

    The National CASC is hosting a quarterly webinar series on the RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) framework, a tool that helps resource managers make informed choices for responding to change. This series focuses on examples of RAD…

  • Consortium for Scenario Planning 2026 Conference
    Date: February 4, 2026
    Location: Salt Lake City, UT

    The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s Consortium for Scenario Planning is hosting its ninth annual conference February 4–6, 2026, at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. Cohosted by the Lincoln Institute, the…

Latest News & Resources

Introducing the Resilience Foundations Certificate: Empowering Practitioners to Build a More Resilient Commonwealth

Virginia is facing growing challenges from sea-level rise, recurrent flooding, extreme heat, and economic disruption—making coordinated resilience planning more essential than ever.
Beginning in 2026, Resilient Virginia will launch the Resilience Foundations Certificate Program, a first-of-its-kind professional development initiative that brings together leaders from government, business, academia, and community organizations to advance systems-level resilience across the Commonwealth.

Read More »

Resilient Virginia News: Fall 2025

The Power of Partnership … Spotlight On Webinar Series … Resilience Certificate Survey … Interactive StoryMaps Advance Climate Equity … RVCA Updates … Tackling Emerging Contaminants Water Technical Assistance … Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap Initiative … Firewise Virginia Community Hazard Mitigation Grant Program … more.

Read More »

Where Data Meets Story: Mapping Equity in Virginia

VCU RISE has launched interactive StoryMaps to highlight environmental justice issues in Charles City County, Emporia, and Richmond. Learn how these equity-focused tools blend local data, maps, and community stories to support planning, resource access, and climate resilience.

Read More »