Pennsylvania House Passes Bill to Require Energy Star Rating for State Buildings
On February 13, a bill (HB 444) was introduced in the Pennsylvania General Assembly that would direct the Department of General Services (in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection) to develop and issue regulations that would require all new state facilities larger than 20,000 square feet or costing more than $1 million to achieve (among other environmental goals) and ENERGY STAR rating of 85 or higher.
The regulations would apply to all new projects commenced after the effective date of the act (60 days after passage).
STATUS: The bill was reassigned from its original committee in the spring to the House Appropriations Committee, which adopted an amendment to the bill on July 6 that removed language that would also have required new state buildings to meet LEED-NC standards. The committee approved the bill unanimously on July 6, and the full House passed the bill 180-17 on July 13. It now moves to the Senate.
More information on HB 444: Bill Home Page | Text (as passed by House) | PA Dept. of Env. Protection
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