New York Lawmakers Approve State Green Building Construction Act
The New York State Assembly and State Senate both unanimously agreed upon the State Green Building Construction Act (A 2005-C) on June 12, 2008. The bill has been sent to Governor David Paterson for his approval.
The legislation will require that the state develop green building standards for all new construction or substantial renovation of all New York State government buildings, including all state agencies and public authorities. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will work with other agencies, such as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), to develop the new regulations.
Environmental Advocates of New York (EANY) notes on their website that state agencies are New York's largest energy user. Given the large number of facilities owned and operated by state government, meeting energy and resource performance standards would result in decreased energy use, increased use of recycled materials and potential reduction in the state's operations and maintenance costs over a building's lifetime.
For more details, view the press release from the bill's sponsor, Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo.
For a summary and the text of A 2005-C, visit the website of the New York State Assembly.
For New York code status information, please consult the BCAP New York Code Status page.