It’s Not Easy Being Green…Or Is It?
By Ryan Manies, AIA, Esq.
Shughart Thomson & Kilroy, P.C.
For those few of you not familiar with LEED, it is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED is a Green Building Rating System and a nationally accepted benchmark that gives building owners and architects alike a roadmap for measuring a building’s sustainability and performance in five key areas: (1) sustainable site development; (2) water savings; (3) energy efficiency; (4) materials selection; and (5) indoor environmental quality.
Since its inception in 1993, and in step with America’s ever increasing interest in the environment (evidenced in part by Al Gore’s recent Academy Award for An Inconvenient Truth and his May 5th Key Note speech at the 2007 AIA National Convention in San Antonio, Texas), LEED has been growing in popularity. This year alone, over 100 “green” bills were introduced in state legislatures across the U.S. Eighteen states have already passed some form of “green building” laws. Among the many proponents of LEED is Missouri Senator Jeff Smith, Democrat from the 4th District, who recently sponsored a Bill currently making its way through the legislature in its final days of the Session.
Senate Bill 649 (“SB649”) proposes to implement LEED in several ways. First, if passed, SB649 would require all newly built, or substantially renovated, state buildings larger than 5,000 square feet, after July 1, 2009, to meet the LEED Silver Rating Level of green building certification. Additionally, beginning in July of 2015, SB649 would mandate that at least 10% of the electricity used by state buildings must come from renewable energy sources. Looking even further into the future, beginning July 1, 2025, at least 20% of the electricity used by state buildings would be required to come from renewable energy sources.
In the words of the amphibian philosopher Kermit the Frog, “it’s not easy being green.” Well SB649 may change that. For those of you looking for an extra incentive to “live green,” SB649 would allow a tax credit to Missouri tax payers who construct a green building or modify an existing structure into a green building. SB649 defines a “green building” as one designed to achieve integrated systems design and construction so as to significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of the built environment.
SB649 would also make an impact in the area of education in several areas. First, SB649 would allow the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide grants to public school districts to assist schools in obtaining LEED certification for new building construction or substantial renovation projects. SB649 would also allow the Missouri Board of Architects to use green building design courses to meet the continuing education requirements for architects, landscape architects and professional engineers.
Finally, as if this was not enough, the Act would create the Office of Sustainability within the Department of Natural Resources. The Office would assist other Missouri agencies to comply with the renewable energy requirements and green state building requirements as well as provide technical assistance to local governments, businesses, schools and homeowners on renewable energy use and green building design and construction.
The last action on SB649 occurred on April 24, 2007, with a hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Because the last day of the Session is May 18, 2007, for those readers interested in supporting SB649, I urge you to contact your Representative immediately. The Green Wave seems to be sweeping the Nation and, if passed, SB649 will add Missouri to the growing list of states who have mandated sustainable design. For a copy of the pending bill, contact Ryan Manies at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).