Bill Text: NJ A1099 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates a green building competition.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-12 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee [A1099 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A1099-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman DENISE M. COYLE
District 16 (Morris and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Creates a green building competition.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act requiring the Commissioner of Community Affairs to create and hold a green building competition and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Green buildings, those designed and constructed to have very little impact on the environment, are key to furthering this State's commitment to protecting the environment, conserving energy, and creating green jobs. With the creation of National Green Building Standards, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Greenguard, the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), Green Globes, and Energy Star, there are now many ways of measuring the energy and environmental performance of buildings. It is in the interest of this State to promote green building so that environmental, energy, and economic goals may be met.
b. The means by which buildings become meaningful energy and environment performers begins with the vision for the structure. Buildings are responsible for nearly 48% of energy consumption in the United States, including over 75% of electrical generation. Therefore, it is imperative that a building development plan considers how it will control energy use, as well as how it impacts the environment overall.
c. Green buildings pose no net impact on the environment by producing as much energy as they consume. Green buildings reduce stormwater runoff and recycle and reuse water. They minimize waste generation, resource consumption, and life cycle environmental impacts. Green buildings also provide an added benefit of increased worker productivity through increased output, better accuracy, increased sales, decreased absenteeism, and a decrease in health complaints. Green buildings have many net benefits, but this State lacks a concerted effort to expand their development.
d. The problem green building development confronts in New Jersey is incorporating it into the average market-rate house. Currently, green building has only been found in high-end housing, non-profit buildings, government buildings, and low income housing. According to the United States Green Building Council, data collected in 2008 ranks this State 18th in the nation in the number of units that have been certified as LEED constructed. This State requires more creative, cost-saving designs and construction methodologies in order to expand green building to a meaningful level.
e. There is a compelling need for the State of New Jersey to promote the development of green buildings. The factors of energy, the environment, and the economy demand that green building transitions from a novelty to a practical reality. It is therefore appropriate for the State to create a green building competition to further these goals.
2. The Commissioner of Community Affairs shall create and hold an annual competition to encourage the design and construction of green buildings in the State. The competition shall be made available, but not limited, to the following persons: architects, reuse experts, engineers, designers, planners, contractors, builders, environmental advocates, educators, and students in any educational program. The commissioner shall award two winners, one for conceptual design and one for a building for which construction was completed in the prior year. The commissioner shall judge the competition entries based upon the following factors:
a. energy efficiency and conservation;
b. building materials reuse and recovery;
c. consideration of the full life cycle of the building;
d. environmental benefit;
e. cost;
f. creativity;
g. extent of conformance with the standards set forth in the green building manual prepared by the Department of Community Affairs pursuant to the requirements of section 1 of P.L.2007, c.132 (C.52:27D-130.6); and
h. such other factors that the commissioner deems appropriate.
For purposes of creating the competition the commissioner shall solicit input from the New Jersey Society of Architects, the New Jersey State Board of Architects, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection as deemed necessary.
3. The Commissioner of Community Affairs shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations as necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Community Affairs to create and hold an annual competition to encourage the design and construction of "green buildings." The competition will encourage cost-effective, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly building in this State. The model for this competition is the "Lifecycle Building Challenge" sponsored by several green organizations, as well as the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The commissioner will judge the competition entries based upon the following factors:
(1) energy efficiency and conservation;
(2) building materials reuse and recovery;
(3) consideration of the full life cycle of the building;
(4) environmental benefit;
(5) cost;
(6) creativity;
(7) extent of conformance with the standards set forth in the green building manual prepared by the Department of Community Affairs; and
(8) such other factors that the commissioner deems appropriate.
The competition will be made available to professionals and students of such subjects as architecture, design, reuse, recycling, planning, construction, education, or the environment. For purposes of creating the competition the commissioner will seek input from the New Jersey Society of Architects, the New Jersey State Board of Architects, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
