Green Building Ordinance

The following is recent testimony by AIA/DC President Beth Buffington, AIA LEED AP on behalf of the Chapter before the Committee of Consumer and Regulatory Affiars of the Council of the District of Columbia.

Bill 16-0515,
the District of Columbia Green Building Act of 2005

February 15, 2006

Chairman Graham, distinguished members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on Bill 16-0515, the District of Columbia Green Building Act of 2005.  I am testifying on behalf of the Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), which represents more than 1600 licensed architects who live and practice in Washington, DC and the surrounding metropolitan community. 

We support the Committee’s interest seeking ways to improve the environmental health of the District.  We believe the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System that serves as the basis for Bill 16-0515 sets an appropriate environmental standard for new construction in the city.  Further, we believe that adopting such standards legislatively could encourage surrounding jurisdictions to develop similar programs, which could make our region a leader in sustainable design.

While we support the intended goals of this bill, we also wish to note two concerns.  First, the bill would add to the cost of development in the District.  Second, it would add another layer of review on an already overburdened and inefficient building permit process.  Consequently, we urge the Council to use the opportunity presented by this bill to enact complementary measures aimed at streamlining the building permit process and otherwise reducing the cost of development in the District.

We also encourage the Committee to develop a plan showing how the additional requirements in the bill would help rather than hinder the process of building in the District.  We believe a well developed plan of this kind could protect health, safety, and welfare while also allowing development to proceed in a more timely manner.  We would be happy to provide assistance in the development of such a plan, which could result in a model green development process for the surrounding jurisdictions.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide this testimony.  We’ll be happy to respond to any questions the Committee may have.