Senate approves bill suspending energy efficiency requirements for govt buildings

The Senate passed on Wednesday a House bill suspending for one year certain energy efficiency requirements for new government buildings due to a lack of certified personnel to ensure compliance with federal standards.

House Bill 16-149, introduced by Rep. Stanley Torres and four other House members, now goes to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial for action.

The bill suspends a provision in Public Law 15-23, as amended by P.L. 15-87, which established incentives for producing electricity using alternative or renewable energy.

Subsection 8662(a) requires that for capital projects, the construction of or additions to buildings meet or exceed the standards set forth in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system.

Since the enactment of P.L. 15-23, the government has been required to meet LEED Silver standards for all new buildings.

“However, the Department of Public Works does not have LEED-certified personnel,” the bill says.

The lack of LEED-certified personnel at DPW has led to increased construction costs due to delays in structural projects, it adds.

The three-page bill seeks to suspend the provision for one year from the date that the measure becomes law or until DPW obtains a LEED certified professional, whichever comes first.

LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. It addresses all building types and emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor environmental quality.

The suspension period will permit DPW to employ one or all of four strategies for compliance with the achievable mandates of energy conservation, including having personnel pass the test for LEED accreditation.

The course may be taken online. Online seminars cost $25. Courses taken on the mainland cost about $200, while study documentation can be downloaded online for $200.

DPW may also consult the online LEED Credit Interpretation Rulings which would require joining the U.S. Green Building Council for $500. All other fees will then be reduced by 10 to 20 percent for members.

The department may also hire a LEED-accredited professional to work with DPW’s Technical Services Division in designing the project which will cost $3,000 to $10,000, depending on the scope of work.

DPW may also apply for LEED certification of the building which costs about $2,100 for registration and certification, plus TSD staff time. A consultant for records management would cost from $1,000 to $5,000.

The bill said the Legislature is still in strong support of building sustainable structures, but that DPW needs time to certify its personnel or to find additional funding to hire a LEED-accredited professional.

“In the short term, the suspension of this provision will allow ongoing projects to proceed accordingly,” the bill adds.