For Immediate Release: Friday, April 21, 2006
I will introduce a bill on April 25 that will: (1) require all new non-residential buildings and multi-family residential dwellings that are at least 10,000 square feet in size to obtain 20 LEED points; and (2) create an incentive for obtaining at least 24 LEED points. With regard to the latter element, the bill will expand the Clean Energy Rewards Program to make owners of new commercial and multi-family residential buildings that obtain at least 24 LEED points eligible to receive an energy tax rebate.
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System was developed by the United State Green Buildings Council (USGBC). It identifies criteria that positively impact the energy and environmental characteristics of a building, including sustainability of a site, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. The bill will not require that a building obtain LEED certification from the USGBC. Rather, it will require that DPS determine whether a building complies with the new LEED standard.
The bill will make compliance with the new LEED standard a condition of preliminary subdivision plan approval, site plan approval, and building permit approval. Therefore, to fully implement the bill, the Council must pass: (1) a zoning test amendment (ZTA) that conforms the Zoning Ordinance to those parts of the bill that relate to site plan approval; and (2) a subdivision regulations amendment (SRA) that will conform the County’s subdivision regulations to those parts of the bill that relate to preliminary subdivision plan approval. The ZTA and SRA will be introduced on May 2.
•Require any new non-residential building or multi-family residential building that exceeds 10,000 square feet (“covered building”), including any building constructed by the County, to obtain at least 20 LEED points.
•Require the Planning Board to include a Green Building Plan that complies with the new LEED standard as a condition of site plan approval for covered building. Require that the Green Building Plan include an architectural design plan that is certified by a LEED accredited professional as likely to yield the LEED points specified in the plan.
•Require the Planning Board to include a Green Building Plan that identifies LEED criteria that will be obtained as a result of site location and stormwater management as a condition of preliminary subdivision plan approval for a covered building.
•Require DPS to include a Green Building Plan that complies with the new LEED standard as a condition of issuing a building permit for a covered building.
•Expand the Clean Energy Rewards Program established under Section 18A-11 of the County Code to make the owner of a building that obtains at least exceeds 24 LEED points eligible to receive an energy tax rebate.
•The new LEED standard will apply to any covered building for which a preliminary subdivision plan application, site plan application, or building permit application is filed on or after the bill takes effect.
Release ID: 06-044