A bill opposing the use of LEED has been filed in the South Carolina House, co-sponsored by Representative William E. “Bill” Sandifer, III (District 2 – Oconee & Pickens  Counties) and Representative Dwight A. Loftis (District 19 – Greenville County).  Filed on February 21^st, H.3592 proposes to delete the use of LEED from the Energy Independence and Sustainable Construction Act of 2007, the current statute that requires certain state-funded building projects to achieve LEED Silver (or two Green Globes), unless “not economically feasible.”

The bill has been referred to the Public Utility Subcommittee of the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee.  At the Subcommittee’s first meeting on H.3592, held March 7^th, both the American Chemistry Council and the South Carolina Forestry Association spoke in support of the bill, claiming that LEED discriminates against South Carolina building materials.  Speaking in opposition were USGBC SC Chapter members John Brandon, Keith Sanders, Dennis Knight, and Executive Director Melissa Le Roy.  I submitted written comments for lack of time.

The Public Utility Subcommittee adjourned debate on H.3592 without a date certain, which means that it will taken up by the Subcommittee again at a future meeting.  Their staff tell us that this may be in mid-April.  Meanwhile, the Chapter is receiving advocacy advice from Jeremy Sigmon and Matt Pearce at USGBC headquarters, in the form of issue research, policy briefs, talking points, etc.  They also included verbal comments from Melissa Le Roy during their March 12^th National Advocacy Call.  The Conservation Voters of South Carolina have added H.3592 to their “Hotlist” of bills to oppose.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

Contact one or more of the Representatives on the House Public Utility Subcommittee to exchange views on H.3592, especially if you are a constituent:

P. Michael “Mike” Forrester, Chairman – District 34 – Spartanburg County

William K. “Bill” Bowers – District 122 – Beaufort, Hampton & Jasper Counties

Grady A. Brown – District 50 – Kershaw, Lee & Sumter Counties

Phillip D. Lowe – District 60 – Darlington & Florence Counties

Dennis C. Moss – District 29 – Cherokee, Chester & York Counties

William E. “Bill” Sandifer, III – District 2 – Oconee & Pickens  Counties

You can use the “Find Your Legislators” search, online at http://www.scstatehouse.gov/legislatorssearch.php, to identify and link to your own federal and state elected officials.  H.3592 is online at http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess120_2013-2014/bills/3592.htm.

As a LEED project team member, e-mail me your project submittal templates for Regional Materials credit that list South Carolina sources for LEED certified projects.

E-mail me your voter registration address (Address, City, and Zip Code) to add to the Chapter membership database, for identifying elected officials with constituents in our Chapter.

Michael P. Criss, AICP, LEED AP

Advocacy Chair

mcriss@sc.rr.com

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Remember, the 9th Annual Conservation Lobby Day is in Columbia on May 1st. As a partner in the Conservation Common Agenda, this is a premier opportunity for the USGBC SC Chapter to speak with state legislators about our issues.

Attached is an invitation from the event organizers. Activities will be scheduled from morning to night…the 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm time slot listed is just the conclusion. It only costs you your own time and travel to attend. Please include me in your RSVP.

As a legislative update, following are excerpts from the 3/26/12 edition of The Hot list of the Conservation Voters of South Carolina (online at http://conservationvotersofsc.org/the_hotlist/), about two bills of interest:
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Solar Tax Credit Bill (H.3346, Rep. Dwight Loftis) SUPPORT
This bill establishes a 35% state tax credit for the installation of solar energy equipment for both residential and commercial purposes placed in service in taxable years after 2010. This legislation not only promotes renewable energy; it encourages solar installations and creates new jobs. H.3346 passed the House in a 100-10 vote last year, and it received a favorable report from the Sales and Income Taxation Subcommittee two weeks ago. The bill awaits consideration by the full Finance Committee.

Building Codes (S.1110, Sen. Tom Alexander/H.4639, Rep. Bill Sandifer) SUPPORT
These bills would update building energy codes in South Carolina to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code standards. S.1110 is now on the Senate contested calendar. H.4639 was recalled from the Judiciary Committee to receive second (27-9) and third reading (30-12) last week in the Senate. H.4639 now goes to the House for concurrence.
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Opening keynote plenary speaker Jeremy Sigmon, Manager of Building Codes Advocacy for USGBC, sent us this link to his blog about the release of the 2012 International Green Construction Code:

http://usgbcblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/codes-retrospective-with-igccs-arrival.html

Green Schools Summit is being planned for May 2nd in Columbia. More details coming.

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Our Chapter has partnered with the Conservation Voters of South Carolina (CVSC) to host a day at the SC Legislature on Tuesday April 13, 2010. The meeting will provide us with an opportunity to speak with our elected officials to promote green building and high performance building standards in our state.

Speaking directly with your legislator about how they plan to vote is the most effective way to influence decision-makers. Elected leaders notice when constituents take the time to speak with them about an issue.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 13
11:00 am  - 3:00 pm (or as long as you can stay)
WHERE: Meet at the Nickelodeon Theatre, 937 Main Street on the south side of the State Capitol, Columbia (Map)

Volunteers are NOT expected to be experts on all the issues. CVSC Staff and professional lobbyists will be on-hand to answer your questions and help you craft your message.

A major initiative of the Chapter Advocacy Team this year is to encourage all members of the House and Senate to join Senator Leventis’ Green Schools Caucus to promote the design, construction, operation and maintenance of high performance, green education facilities in South Carolina. In addition, please be sure to thank Senator Leventis and his staff for establishing the Green Schools Caucus.

Speak directly with your representative about your position on green building and its impact on our state and our planet.

Learn more about the Conservation Voters Lobby Day program, and please reply to Michael Criss if you plan to attend.

Thank you in advance for your time and participation in this great opportunity to have our mission and collective voices heard!

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Message from Dennis Knight, SC Chapter Advocacy Chair:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Another year has passed and the USGBC SC Chapter Statewide Advocacy Committee is preparing for a very active legislative year promoting green buildings, energy efficiency and increasing the green jobs industry in our state.

The best way to do this effectively is to develop a strong, well connected, grassroots network of dedicated volunteers willing to talk to their elected officials about these issues and to take appropriate action when called upon.  It is the desire of the Chapter and me personally, that the Chapter be represented on this committee with a diverse cross section of the chapter membership and the citizens of our state.  The committee should represent and give voice to every social, economic and business sector.

To that end, I would like to solicit every member’s help and participation to create and grow this network.  To be clear, I am not asking you to attend monthly meetings, conference calls or face-to-face meetings.  We will do this from time-to-time and you are certainly welcome to come and participate, if you have the time.  However, if you are willing and able to participate, even in a small way, please provide me with as much of the following information as you feel comfortable sharing and let me know how much time and effort you feel like you can invest in the advocacy efforts of the Chapter.

Please take a minute to fill out the short questionnaire about your interest and depth and breadth of experience in our state’s governmental system, found here.

Please forward your response to me at: dknight@liollio.com.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me.
Thank you in advance for considering this information I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Dennis Knight
USGBC SC Statewide Advocacy Committee Chair

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SC Renewable Energy Forum: Energy Legislation – Impacts & Opportunities

For the first time, this meeting will be combined with representatives of the solar, biomass and wind energy industries to discuss federal and state legislation that would impact renewable energy development in South Carolina. A meeting agenda for the ‘SC Renewable Energy Forum’ will be circulated in the near future.

WHEN: Monday, January 25th from 1pm to 5pm

WHERE: Columbia Convention Center (1101 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC)

COST: Free to the general public

RSVP: By Monday, January 18th to Erika Myers at emeyers@energy.sc.gov with your name, affiliation, title, and email address.

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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.

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.

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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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• 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.”

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