Annapolis aldermen are considering legislation that would require certain new buildings and major renovations to meet established green standards, a possibly costly prospect that already has some support in the environmentally conscious city.
The proposed ordinance, one of two pieces of "green" legislation the council is considering, would call for newly constructed or heavily modified buildings of greater than 10,000 square feet to meet the lowest standards in the LEED Green Building Rating System. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ratings, developed by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, are among the leading national benchmarks for green construction.
Buildings of any size must meet the second-lowest, or silver LEED standards; and single-family dwellings must meet the lowest LEED standards, according to the legislation introduced by Annapolis Mayor Ellen O. Moyer, a longtime environmental advocate.
Tougher standards
The standards encompass elements including integrating natural daylight, minimizing construction waste, treating storm water on site and maximizing the use of local materials.
Craig Purcell, a LEED-certified architect in Annapolis, supports the measure,
"It's kind of an ethic, using reuse," Purcell said. "It might cost a little more, but you save money over the long run in the operation of it. You use less fuel, and there's less carbon going into the environment."
Baltimore City, Montgomery County and Washington, D.C., have already embraced LEED standards. In Howard County, any county government building of more than 10,000 square feet must be LEED-certified, and a law set to take effect later this year would create incentives for commercial and residential green development. One measure will allow commercial developers to qualify for property tax credits for up to five years if they seek certification at various levels of LEED standards.
Recycling also on tap
Annapolis city council members this week continued to work on other legislation to promote recycling and other environmentally conscious practices.
The proposed ordinance, which effectively killed Alderman Samuel E. Shropshire's efforts last year to ban retailers from using plastic bags, would encourage residents and business owners to use reusable and recyclable materials and to buy goods from companies that employ clean-energy practices.
