MADDEN BILL REQUIRING CERTAIN STATE BUILDINGS MEET GREEN STANDARDS PASSES SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE

Focus on Enhancing Standards for Water and Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Renewable Energy

TRENTON - The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today unanimously passed S-843, legislation sponsored by Senator Fred H. Madden requiring that any building 15,000 square feet in area or larger that is meant for the sole use of the State must be designed and managed to meet standards for a high performance green building.

"This legislation takes common sense steps to promote standards which enhance energy efficiency, conserve materials and preserve environmental quality," said Madden (D Gloucester/Camden). "We are taking pro-active actions to improve the performance of state owned buildings by promoting construction and development that incorporates sound energy conservation and environmental protection principles"

This bill is part of a package of green building legislation. Buildings are considered "green" if they meet enhanced standards in the areas of sustainable site planning, safeguarding water and increasing water efficiency, energy efficiency and renewable energy, conservation of materials and resources and indoor environmental quality.

This bill requires the Division of Property Management and Construction in the Department of the Treasury to conduct a study to measure and evaluate the energy and environmental performance of each building owned, or leased for a term of at least 10 years, by the State. The bill also requires the division to prepare a written report of the findings and conclusions of the study, and include in that report any recommendations for legislative or administrative action including a list of possible improvements that could reasonably be made to increase the building's score under the rating system, and a cost-benefit analysis for each of those possible improvements. The division is required to transmit the written report to appropriate State officials, and to make it available to the public.

The measure has now passed the Economic Growth committee, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and now heads to the full Senate for further consideration.