2017 -- H 5427

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LC001273

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS - THE GREEN BUILDINGS ACT

     Introduced By: Representatives Blazejewski, Edwards, Walsh, Marshall, and
Marszalkowski

     Date Introduced: February 08, 2017

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Sections 37-24-2, 37-24-3, 37-24-4, 37-24-5 and 37-24-6 of the General

Laws in Chapter 37-24 entitled "The Green Buildings Act" are hereby amended to read as

follows:

     37-24-2. Legislative findings.

     It is hereby found and declared as follows:

     (1) Energy costs for public buildings and public projects are skyrocketing and will likely

continue to increase.

     (2) Energy use by public buildings and public projects contributes substantially to the

problems of pollution and global warming.

     (3) Public buildings and public projects can be built and renovated using high-

performance methods that save energy, reduce water consumption, improve indoor air quality,

and water, preserve the environment, and make workers and students more productive.

     (4) This law is necessary to more efficiently spend public funds.

     37-24-3. Definitions.

     For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

     (1) "Construction" means the process of building, altering, repairing, improving, or

demolishing forty percent (40%) or more of any public structures or buildings, or other public

improvements of any kind to any public real property.

     (2) "Department" means the department of administration.

     (3) "Equivalent standard" means a high-performance green building standard other than

LEED, LEED for Neighborhood Development, and SITES which provides a rating system or

measurement tool, that, when used, leads to outcomes, similar or equivalent to, LEED, LEED for

Neighborhood Development, and SITES outcomes, in terms of green building, green

infrastructure and green site performance; current accepted equivalent standards include green

globes, Northeast collaborative high-performance schools protocol; or other equivalent high-

performance green building, green infrastructure and green site standard standards accepted by

the department;

     (4) "LEED" also, "LEED for Neighborhood Development, and SITES certified standard"

means the current version of the United States Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and

Environmental Design green building rating standard referred to as LEED, LEED for

Neighborhood Development, and SITES certified.

     (5) "Major facility project" means:

     (i) A building construction project larger than five thousand (5,000) gross square feet of

occupied or conditioned space, and its public real property site; or

     (ii) A building renovation project is larger than ten thousand (10,000) gross square feet of

occupied or conditioned space, and its public real property site.

     (6) "Public agency" means every state office, board, commission, committee, bureau,

department or public institution of higher education.

     (7) "Public facility" means any public institution, public facility, public equipment, or

any physical asset owned, including its public real property site leased or controlled in whole or

in part by this state or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

     37-24-4. Green building standards.

     (a) All major facility projects of public agencies shall be designed and constructed to at

least the LEED, LEED for Neighborhood Development, and SITES certified or an equivalent

high performance green building standard. This provision applies to major facility projects or

other public improvements of any kind to any public real property that have not entered the

design phase prior to January 1, 2010.

     (b) All major facility projects of a public school district, where the project receives any

funding from the state shall be designed, and constructed to at least the LEED, LEED for

Neighborhood Development, and SITES certified standard, or the Northeast Collaborative for

High-Performance Schools Protocol, Version 1.1 or above. This provision applies to major

facility projects or other public improvements of any kind to any public real property that have

not entered the design phase prior to January 1, 2010.

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     (c) A major facility project does not have to meet LEED, LEED for Neighborhood

Development, and SITES certified standard or an equivalent high-performance green building

standard if:

     (1) There is no appropriate LEED, LEED for Neighborhood Development, and SITES

standard or other high-performance green building standard for that type of building or

renovation project or other public improvements of any kind to any public real property. In such

case, the department will set lesser green building standards that are appropriate to the project.

     (2) There is no practical way to apply the LEED, LEED for Neighborhood Development,

and SITES standard or other high-performance green building standard to a particular building or

renovation project or other public improvements of any kind to any public real property. In such

case, the department will set lesser green building standards that are appropriate to the project.

     37-24-5. Administration and reports.

     (a) The department shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to enforce this

section. Those regulations shall include how the department will determine whether a project

qualifies for an exception from the LEED, LEED for Neighborhood Development, and SITES

certified or equivalent high-performance green building standard, and the lesser green building

standards that may be imposed on projects that are granted exceptions.

     (b) The department shall monitor and document ongoing operating savings that result

from major facility projects designed, constructed and certified as meeting the LEED, LEED for

Neighborhood Development, and SITES certified standard and annually publish a public report of

findings and recommended changes in policy. The report shall also include a description of

projects that were granted exceptions from the LEED, LEED for Neighborhood Development,

and SITES certified standard, the reasons for exception, and the lesser green building standards

imposed.

     (c) The department shall create a green buildings advisory committee composed of

representatives from the design, construction, lumber and building materials industries involved

in public works contracting, personnel from affected public agencies and school boards that

oversee public works projects, and others at the department's discretion to provide advice on

implementing this section. The advisory committee shall make recommendations regarding an

education and training process and an ongoing evaluation or feedback process to help the

department implement this section.

     37-24-6. Protection from liability.

     No person, corporation or entity shall be held liable for the failure of a major facility

project to meet the LEED, LEED for Neighborhood Development, and SITES certified standard

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or other standards established for the project as long as a good faith attempt was made to achieve

the standard set for the project.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS - THE GREEN BUILDINGS ACT

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     This act would expand the "Green Buildings Act" to include public projects and updates

the standards to include LEED for Neighborhood Development, and SITES.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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