ASBURY PARK — The new Asbury Park Sustainability Committee will hold a meeting for residents, businesses and city government leaders to learn more about green buildings at 7 p.m., Thursday at the VFW Building, 701 Lake Ave.

Topics will include what design and construction practices make a building green or environmentally sustainable, why green buildings are healthy places to live and work, and funding resources from state agencies and utilities to build affordable green homes and businesses.

Featured speakers will be architect Steve Leone, director of sustainable design for Cubellis; Mary Uschak, representing N.J. Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency's Green Homes Office; and Larry Barth, renewable energy program manager for the state Office of Clean Energy.

"This meeting is an important first step to build community knowledge about sustainable and green building techniques as Asbury Park begins discussions about creating a "Green Buildings Incentive' program," said Thomas Pivinski, the committee chairman, in a news release.

Pivinski said the program will offer incentives to residents and builders to build green.

On Friday, Pivinski said in an interview that his committee next plans to meet with developers and builders in June to find out what they have in place for green building.

"We'll present them with a checklist of what they should be aware of in their projects in Asbury Park, and give them incentives," he said.