South Carolina Chapter, U.S. Green Building Council

SC Green Legislation

As part of our mission, the SC Chapter strives to keep our members and the community at large informed about legislation that has an impact on the green building movement. Please click the links below to see what's new with green legislation affecting South Carolina .

South Carolina Legislation:

Click here to view the "LEED Overview and New Legislation" power point presentation from our January 2008 program. Note: Choose read only at the dialogue box to view.
April 2008 - Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives Bill included in Senate-Passed Housing Measure Legislation would extend, enlarge Energy-Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction
During the debate on the Senate Housing bill, the Senate voted 88-8 to include an amendment containing numerous tax incentives relating to energy efficiency and renewable fuels. The amendment approved by the Senate was originally introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and John Ensign (R-NV) on April 3 as S. 2821, The Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act.

The amendment included in the Senate's final bill passed earlier today would extend the Energy Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction until 2009 and increase the deduction amount to $2.25 per square foot. The current tax provision is set to expire at the end of 2008 and only allows for a deduction of $1.80 per square foot.

Extending and enlarging the commercial building tax deduction is one of the AIA's top legislative priorities for 2008. Similar legislation has already been approved by the House (H.R. 5351); the House-passed bill, however, extends the incentive until 2013 but does not increase the size of the deduction.

"Since Congress created this deduction in 2005, we have worked to either make it permanent or at least extend it for a significant period of time," noted Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA, senior director of Federal Relations. "A long-term extension would be ideal, but given the fiscal realities that this Congress faces, a one-year extension may be the best possible strategy to ensure that the provision does not expire at the end of 2008."

Federal Legislation:

AIA-Backed Green Housing Bill Unveiled

After months of consultation with AIA federal relations staff, Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) will soon introduce comprehensive legislation aimed at promoting energy efficiency in residential buildings. The bill would provide incentives to lenders and financial institutions to provide lower interest loans and other benefits to consumers who build, buy, or remodel their homes and businesses to improve their energy efficiency.

Rep. Perlmutter, who sits on the House Financial Services Committee, was asked by Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) to craft legislation aimed at promoting energy efficiency in the residential sector. The legislation will likely be introduced in the coming weeks, and Chairman Frank has indicated that the Committee will take swift action to advance the bill.

"This is a necessary step to ensure that we continue making significant reductions in the amount of fossil-fuel generated energy our nation consumes through its homes and buildings."

--AIA President Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA

On April 22, AIA President Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA, spoke at a forum addressing the current state of energy consumption in buildings and how Rep. Perlmutter's bill will provide greater tools for homeowners, lenders, and government-sponsored enterprises (such as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae) to improve energy efficiency. "Last year we advocated strongly for energy-efficiency requirements for federal buildings," noted Purnell at the forum. "This year we are working with the Financial Services Committee to craft legislation that will create federal incentives for energy-efficient residential projects. This is a necessary step to ensure that we continue making significant reductions in the amount of fossil-fuel generated energy our nation consumes through its homes and buildings."

The legislation would provide incentives, grants, and educational opportunities to encourage the construction and renovation of energy-efficient homes and buildings and the development of sustainable communities. Specifically, the bill would require residential single-family or multifamily structures constructed using federal monies (such as housing built under Section 8, Hope VI, or the Federal Housing Administration) to meet more stringent energy-efficiency standards.

The bill would also encourage the use of energy-efficient and location-efficient mortgages (EEMs and LEMs). Under the legislation, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are required to promote and facilitate the use of EEMs and LEMs. The bill would mandate that Fannie and Freddie purchase a certain percentage (in comparison to total mortgages purchased) of EEMs and LEMs every year.

For more information on the bill or its status, contact the AIA Federal Relations Team.

Green School Improvement Act Introduced in House
Bill would provide grants to schools to improve energy efficiency

Legislation creating a new grant program for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements for public schools has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Grants for Renewable and Energy Efficiency Needs (GREEN) School Improvement Act (H.R. 5401) would authorize $2 billion per year for schools and school districts to improve energy efficiency, install renewable energy technologies, and develop energy-efficient guidelines and standards for new facilities construction.

The GREEN School Improvement Act, introduced by Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA), was inspired, in part, by the AIA-sponsored study Greening America's Schools: Costs and Benefits. The legislation cites a number of the study's findings, specifically that on average, green schools use one-third less energy than conventional schools and also provide numerous health and educational benefits to students.

H.R. 5401 would provide grant money to schools for improvements, repairs, or renovations that will result in a direct reduction in school energy costs. Other eligible uses include activities that would lead to improvements in indoor air quality, daylighting, ventilation, electrical lighting, and acoustics. Schools could also use the funding to install renewable energy technologies.

Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA, senior director of Federal Relations, noted that support for green schools continues to grow on Capitol Hill. "The 2007 Energy Bill included provisions to help spur the construction of green schools." Shortly after the bill's passage, Reps. Matheson (D-UT), McCaul (R-TX), and Van Hollen (D-MD) founded the Congressional Green Schools Caucus to draw more attention to the issue. "The introduction of this bill is the natural next step and shows that Congress is finally beginning to understand the countless benefits that green schools provide to not only the environment, but also to our nation's students and teachers," Goldberg said.

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