In testimony yesterday before the House Small Business Committee, the National Association of Home Builders emphasized its belief that voluntary energy efficiency programs and tax incentives remain the best approach for reducing residential energy consumption across America rather than blanket federal mandates. Pennsylvania home builder Frank Thompson told the Committee that “Congress should be promoting […]
Tag Archives | green building legislation
Schwarzenegger Vetoes California Green Building Legislation
Governor Schwarzenegger has vetoed the trio of green building bills which we presented here a few weeks ago. AB 888 would have required most commercial buildings in California to earn LEED Gold by January 1, 2013, while the other two bills (ABs 1058 and 35) were to apply to homes and public buildings, respectively. The […]
Surety Industry Raises Red Flags Over D.C. Green Building Act
Concerns over LEED creep (the application of LEED mandates to private projects) include the potential for awkwardly- or hastily-drafted legislation to change the risk structure associated with a given green construction project for various project stakeholders. For example, back in early August, the Surety and Fidelity Association of America (“SFAA”) and the National Association of […]
Is LEED Legislation- Whether Public or Private- Undemocratic?
In an article written earlier this week, Dan Walters, a columnist at the Sacramento Bee, articulated his concerns over a LEED-driven green public building regulatory scheme by calling such legislation “part of a broader legislative tendency to avoid tough policy decisions by shifting them to unaccountable outside organizations.” Walters was writing with respect to California’s […]
Revisions to Wicks Law Stall; Albany Vows to Push Forward
Back in March, gbNYC joined various industry leaders in calling on Albany to repeal the Wicks Law, anachronistic 1920s-era legislation that requires municipal owners in the State of New York, including New York City, to use four separate contractors on any construction project greater than $50,000 for general construction, plumbing and gas fitting, heating and […]
Second Long Island County on Verge of Mandating LEED for Public Projects
It appears that Nassau County on Long Island is about to mandate LEED for public projects greater than 5,000 square feet or budgeted at $1 million or more. County Executive Thomas Suozzi announced at a press conference on Monday in Mineola that his proposal (also sponsored by legislators from Merrick and Oceanside) was approved by […]
