Green Building

Almost 11 million square feet of building space in Maryland was designated last year as environmentally friendly, making it one of the top-ranking states for such certifications in 2012. Only five states other than Maryland had more space per capita stamped with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) seal last year, according to a recent statement by the U.S. Green Building Council. Washington, D.C., Virginia, Colorado, Massachusetts and Illinois were the handful of jurisdictions that surpassed Maryland in the standings, which take into account commercial and institutional buildings.

Baltimore's green building law, considered one of the most sweeping in the nation, lingers in a legal limbo of sorts more than seven months after it supposedly took effect. The city has yet to publish regulations to carry out the law, which requires most private as well as public buildings to be energy-efficient and environmentally friendly in their design and construction. Though promised by the end of 2009, the rules and a set of home-grown green building standards are still being tinkered with by city officials.

On May 23, the City Council of Aberdeen passed a budget that increased spending over last year and while cutting property taxes, raised our water and sewer rates. At this meeting, Mayor Michael Bennett said that he chooses not to use the constant yield, the rate that would cut the property tax further to keep spending at last year's level, because if the city isn't spending more money, then "nothing exciting is happening" in Aberdeen. On June 13, the council will vote on a tax break for buildings that pass green building or "LEED" certification.

Ten redevelopment projects around Maryland will receive more than $11.1 million in state grants to move to the construction stage under a program intended to encourage historic preservation and "green" building practices. Gov. Martin O'Malley announced Friday that the funds are coming from the Sustainable Communities Tax Credit program, successor to the state's old Historic Preservation Tax Credit program. Despite its name, the program was structured for 2011 to give outright grants, not tax credits.

The Living Classrooms Foundation dedicated its newest addition yesterday, an environmentally friendly building on its East Harbor campus named for U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski. The Mikulski Workforce Development Center, a 3,000- square-foot building with a "green" roof, aims to help the foundation's classroom space for at-risk students. "It is an exciting day whenever we can open the doors of opportunity for our children," said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, who joined Mikulski, Mayor Martin O'Malley, Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes, and Reps.

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon is expected to announce today that the city is giving $100,000 to the Herring Run Watershed Association for its new environmental center on Belair Road. The center, which is scheduled to open in the fall, will be one of the greenest buildings in Baltimore - complete with composting toilets, a tankless hot water heater and a roof that recycles storm water. The city's grant marks the end of Herring Run's two-year drive to raise the $600,000 needed for the building, which they hope will brighten up Belair Road and be an inspiration for those seeking to improve the neighborhood.

Owners of commercial buildings could receive local property tax credits if they make buildings that are more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, under a bill proposed to the Howard County Council recently. Councilman Christopher J. Merdon introduced legislation that would create a property tax credit of up to 20 percent for three years for properties that are certified through the U.S. Green Buildings Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), or so-called green buildings.

ST. MARY'S CITY -- From the outside, the new brick classroom building at St. Mary's College looks much like the other Colonial-style structures on the riverfront campus of this small, historic liberal-arts school. But inside, Goodpaster Hall represents something very different for St. Mary's - and for the rest of Maryland. From the recycled wood flooring to the sod covering part of its roof, it is one of the state's first "green" college buildings, and a potential prototype for many more such taxpayer-funded facilities to come.

Legislators - with the strong support of Comptroller Peter Franchot - are pushing for Maryland to start constructing more energy-efficient buildings, a plan backers believe will protect the environment and save the state money. For the second meeting in a row, Franchot grilled state administrators coming before the Board of Public Works yesterday on how much thought they have given to "green building" standards. He asked Gov. Martin O'Malley to revive an executive order from former Gov. Parris N. Glendening requiring more green buildings and sent a letter to legislators endorsing bills to do the same thing.