| 11/12/2009 |
Public construction going green under new law
STATE HOUSE – Public buildings in Rhode Island are about to get greener under a new law sponsored by Sen. Louis P. DiPalma.
The Green Buildings Act (2009-S 0232B), passed by the General Assembly in October and signed into law by Governor Carcieri this week, requires that all new major public facility projects and major building renovations in Rhode Island, including schools, be designed and constructed in conformance with high performance green building standards.
“We are no longer in an era when environmentally friendly design is a luxury. Not only are green building materials and systems more affordable and available than they used to be, but environmentally responsible design pays off in lower costs for energy, water and more over the life of a building. Building green is good for the health of our environment, the public and the bottom line. It’s time we made it the standard,” said Senator DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton).
The new law applies to new construction of more than 5,000 square feet and renovation of spaces greater than 10,000 square feet if such projects receive any funding from the state. The law takes effect immediately but will apply only to buildings entering the design phase after Jan. 1, 2010.
Under the law, building design must conform to the internationally recognized United States Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system or an equivalent high-performance green building standard, including the Northeast Collaborative for High-Performance Schools Protocol.
Those standards are designed to promote a whole-building approach to sustainability in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, energy and water efficiency, improved indoor air quality and environmentally sensitive use of resources and materials.
At least 45 states and 195 localities nationwide have enacted LEED initiatives including legislation, executive orders, resolutions, ordinances, and policies, according to Connie McGreavy, founder and chairperson of the Rhode Island Green Building Council, whose members advocated for the bill.
Besides increasing energy efficiency and reducing buildings’ negative impacts on the environment, the standards provide for the health and well-being of building occupants because they include air-quality improvements that reduce emissions of harmful greenhouse gases and other toxins while increasing the use of natural sunlight and improving acoustics. The standards also favor construction in locations that encourage walking and the use of clean transportation, and require that building occupants be instructed in how to properly operate and maintain green buildings to maximize environmental features and benefits.
According to Senator DiPalma, the law was written to stand the test of time by allowing for the use of new versions of the standards as they develop. While the LEED standard is the most widely recognized green building rating system today, as technology and environmental science evolves, so, too, do the standards. Since the law allows for other equivalent high-performance green building standards to be used, it will remain relevant until green building practices are mainstreamed into the state’s building and energy conservation codes.
The state’s Department of Administration will be required to publish an annual report documenting the operational savings resulting from the new law, and making recommendations for any changes in policy. The law also creates an advisory council that will provide insight into new policies and the application of its provisions.
The law contains provisions for the state to set lesser standards for buildings where there are no LEED or equivalent high performance green building standards appropriate for a certain type of project or for projects where there is no practical way to apply the standards.
Senator DiPalma said he believes that owners of those buildings will not view the standards as overly burdensome because of the inherent savings.
“Moving forward, people are going to want to do this, not only because it’s the right thing to do but because energy costs are not getting any lower. Compliance with these standards reduces the total cost of ownership, and that’s an advantage for every public agency.”
Senator DiPalma said passage of the bill required significant collaboration. He thanked former Rep. Elizabeth Dennigan who had sponsored similar legislation in the House before she stepped down to run for Congress, as well as McGreavy and members of the Rhode Island Green Building Council for their hard work and cooperation in crafting the bill and helping win its passage.
The Rhode Island Green Building Council will be holding an event Dec. 10 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at New England Institute of Technology in Warwick to provide information to the public, cities, towns and state agencies about the provisions of the new law. For details, visit www.usgbcri.org.
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Waterman, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2457 |
LEGISLATIVE INFO
