S. C. R. No. 25 As Introduced

As Introduced

130th General Assembly

Regular Session

2013-2014

S. C. R. No. 25

Senator Uecker

Cosponsor: Senator Schaffer

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To urge, for Ohio state agencies and other government 1
entities, the use of green building rating 2
systems, codes, or standards that are consistent 3
with state energy efficiency and environmental 4
performance objectives and policies and that meet 5
American National Standards Institute voluntary 6
consensus standard procedures. 7

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO
(THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING):

        WHEREAS, The State of Ohio is dedicated both to economic 8
growth and to the objectives of achieving energy efficiency and 9
environmental performance in state agency and other government 10
buildings; and 11

       WHEREAS, The selection of building materials and products for 12
new construction and renovation can significantly contribute to 13
achieving these objectives; and 14

       WHEREAS, Many building materials and products that are 15
capable of contributing to the state's energy efficiency and 16
environmental performance objectives are manufactured or harvested 17
in Ohio, and their manufacture and harvest support Ohio jobs and 18
contribute to the state's economic growth; and 19

       WHEREAS, Energy efficient buildings further contribute to 20
economic growth by reducing long-term operating and maintenance 21
costs of state agency and other government buildings; and 22

       WHEREAS, To ensure long-term energy conservation and realize 23
cost savings, buildings must be designed and constructed to exceed 24
the highest energy standards; and 25

       WHEREAS, Private sector green building rating systems, codes, 26
and other standards can be useful tools that, when implemented, 27
can result in buildings that exceed the energy standards for 28
energy efficiency and environmental performance; and 29

       WHEREAS, The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED v4 30
green building system fails to conform to recognized voluntary 31
standard development procedures, including but not limited to 32
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) procedures, and fails 33
to base environmental and health criteria on risk assessment 34
methodology; now therefore be it 35

       RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 130th General Assembly 36
of the State of Ohio, urge Ohio state agencies and other 37
government entities to use green building rating systems, codes, 38
or standards that are consistent with state energy efficiency and 39
environmental performance objectives and policies; and be it 40
further 41

       RESOLVED, That the only systems, codes, and standards used in 42
state agency and other government buildings be those that have 43
been developed in an open and transparent way with the input of 44
Ohio building materials and products manufacturers and harvesters 45
to ensure that the use of green building rating systems, codes, 46
and other standards from the private sector are consistent with 47
Ohio objectives and policies; and be it further 48

       RESOLVED, That the State of Ohio use private sector green 49
building rating systems, codes, and other standards to implement 50
state energy efficiency and environmental performance objectives 51
provided that they are voluntary consensus standards that are 52
properly grounded in science and include the use of environmental 53
and health criteria that are based on risk assessment methodology 54
generally accepted by applicable scientific disciplines; and be it 55
further 56

       RESOLVED, That the use of green building rating systems, 57
codes, and other standards that have been developed pursuant to 58
ANSI procedures be presumptively deemed to be open, transparent, 59
and voluntary consensus standards suitable for Ohio government 60
use; and be it further 61

       RESOLVED, That the LEED v4 green building rating system no 62
longer be used by Ohio's state agencies and government entities 63
until the USGBC conforms its system development to the ANSI 64
voluntary consensus standard procedures as confirmed by ANSI or 65
until the state, after an opportunity for public comment and 66
participation, incorporates the LEED v4 system by reference, in 67
whole or in part, into the administrative rules for state agency 68
or government entity building standards; and be it further 69

       RESOLVED, That the Office of Energy Services within the Ohio 70
Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) immediately review, 71
while taking economic growth and long-term operating and 72
maintenance costs into account, the availability and suitability 73
of alternative private sector green building rating systems, 74
codes, and other standards that advance state energy efficiency 75
and environmental performance objectives; and be it further 76

       RESOLVED, That the OFCC continue to incorporate energy 77
efficiency and sustainable design features into approved school 78
projects through the use of alternative green building rating 79
systems, codes, and standards other than LEED v4; and be it 80
further 81

       RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly 82
authenticated copies of this resolution to the USGBC. 83

WHEREAS, The State of Ohio is dedicated both to economic	8
growth and to the objectives of achieving energy efficiency and	9
environmental performance in state agency and other government	10
buildings; and	11

WHEREAS, The selection of building materials and products for	12
new construction and renovation can significantly contribute to	13
achieving these objectives; and	14

WHEREAS, Many building materials and products that are	15
capable of contributing to the state's energy efficiency and	16
environmental performance objectives are manufactured or harvested	17
in Ohio, and their manufacture and harvest support Ohio jobs and	18
contribute to the state's economic growth; and	19

WHEREAS, Energy efficient buildings further contribute to	20
economic growth by reducing long-term operating and maintenance	21
costs of state agency and other government buildings; and	22

WHEREAS, To ensure long-term energy conservation and realize	23
cost savings, buildings must be designed and constructed to exceed	24
the highest energy standards; and	25

WHEREAS, Private sector green building rating systems, codes,	26
and other standards can be useful tools that, when implemented,	27
can result in buildings that exceed the energy standards for	28
energy efficiency and environmental performance; and	29

WHEREAS, The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED v4	30
green building system fails to conform to recognized voluntary	31
standard development procedures, including but not limited to	32
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) procedures, and fails	33
to base environmental and health criteria on risk assessment	34
methodology; now therefore be it	35

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 130th General Assembly	36
of the State of Ohio, urge Ohio state agencies and other	37
government entities to use green building rating systems, codes,	38
or standards that are consistent with state energy efficiency and	39
environmental performance objectives and policies; and be it	40
further	41

RESOLVED, That the only systems, codes, and standards used in	42
state agency and other government buildings be those that have	43
been developed in an open and transparent way with the input of	44
Ohio building materials and products manufacturers and harvesters	45
to ensure that the use of green building rating systems, codes,	46
and other standards from the private sector are consistent with	47
Ohio objectives and policies; and be it further	48

RESOLVED, That the State of Ohio use private sector green	49
building rating systems, codes, and other standards to implement	50
state energy efficiency and environmental performance objectives	51
provided that they are voluntary consensus standards that are	52
properly grounded in science and include the use of environmental	53
and health criteria that are based on risk assessment methodology	54
generally accepted by applicable scientific disciplines; and be it	55
further	56

RESOLVED, That the use of green building rating systems,	57
codes, and other standards that have been developed pursuant to	58
ANSI procedures be presumptively deemed to be open, transparent,	59
and voluntary consensus standards suitable for Ohio government	60
use; and be it further	61

RESOLVED, That the LEED v4 green building rating system no	62
longer be used by Ohio's state agencies and government entities	63
until the USGBC conforms its system development to the ANSI	64
voluntary consensus standard procedures as confirmed by ANSI or	65
until the state, after an opportunity for public comment and	66
participation, incorporates the LEED v4 system by reference, in	67
whole or in part, into the administrative rules for state agency	68
or government entity building standards; and be it further	69

RESOLVED, That the Office of Energy Services within the Ohio	70
Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) immediately review,	71
while taking economic growth and long-term operating and	72
maintenance costs into account, the availability and suitability	73
of alternative private sector green building rating systems,	74
codes, and other standards that advance state energy efficiency	75
and environmental performance objectives; and be it further	76

RESOLVED, That the OFCC continue to incorporate energy	77
efficiency and sustainable design features into approved school	78
projects through the use of alternative green building rating	79
systems, codes, and standards other than LEED v4; and be it	80
further	81

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly	82
authenticated copies of this resolution to the USGBC.	83