A new piece of legislation is in the works that may have a profound impact on construction within Washington, D.C. over the next three to five years. In January, DPR’s Chris Gorthy presented on the costs of sustainability in commercial construction to the D.C. city council as part of the public comment period. In May, Gorthy and other key players were invited back to join a task force to talk through the points and implementation of a proposed bill to green the nation’s capital.

In an effort to not only set the standards but also explain purpose and necessity, the group is carefully exploring the main goals of the legislation for the city. The task force has identified improved air and water quality, reduced energy and resource consumption, waste stream reductions, increased community livability and the development of a green marketplace that encourages further sustainable growth as the most important aspects of the bill.

“We all want to do what is right for the environment, but at the same time, we’re being very careful to look at the business case for greening the capital,” said Gorthy. “The initial investment to build a sustainable building may be greater than that of a conventional building, depending on the level of sustainability, a project’s location and the owner’s goals, but experience has taught us that the return on the investment in the way of energy and water savings can be more than enough to outweigh the cost.” For example, DPR’s LEED®-certified Sacramento office is expected to return more than four times the initial investment over a 10-year period. Other notable benefits of sustainable facilities include productivity gains, reduced sick leave, potential increased company net worth, increased property or rental values, tax credits, grants and employee retention. “It’s just a matter of time before sustainable practices are recognized as not only the best for the environment but also for business,” added Gorthy.

To further the business benefits of green, the bill is progressing towards incorporating a phased approach to the new building requirements, beginning with an incentivized period before finally adopting the mandated change as the norm. Using the standing U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® guidelines as a measuring stick for the sustainability of most D.C. projects, as well as programs like CHPS (The Collaborative for High Performing Schools), the framers of this bill are working to incorporate a multi-agency oversight committee into the plan to ensure that the law never becomes out of date, even as the legislation ages. In addition, one of the committee’s objectives may be to ensure enforcement of the bill.
Still in the formative stages, the task force also is discussing which types of projects will be affected by this bill and to what degree. The hope is that the bill will address public and private facilities of all types, including commercial and large residential. The draft is well underway and should be reviewed and approved by the end of the year by the D.C. city council. If accepted by the council, the legislation is expected to become a law with United States Congressional approval early next year.