Green building legislation advances in PA House

On January 25, the Pennsylvania State House voted 170-18 in support for House Bill 193, sponsored by Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery), which would require all state building projects to achieve a federal Energy Star rating of at least 75. The High Performance State Standards bill would apply to state-owned construction projects where the building exceeds 20,000 gross square feet. A variety of green building rating systems would be acceptable under the bill, but a minimum set of criteria would be established to ensure compliance. These would include being consensus-based, employing third-party post construction review and verification and having a track record of certified green buildings in the United States. In addition to Pennsylvania, either other states have recently taken legislative steps to promote green buildings.

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.