American High Performance Buildings Coalition Supports Policy Recommendations in Senate Defense Authorization Act

For Immediate Release
06-28-2013
Contact: Scott Openshaw (202) 249-6504
Email: Scott_Openshaw@AmericanChemistry.com

Washington (June, 28 2013) – Today, the American High-Performance Buildings Coalition (AHPBC), an organization of leading associations representing a wide range of interests in the building and construction industry, issued a statement in support of sustainable building report language included in the FY2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which was recently passed by the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

As passed by the committee, the bill’s report language highlights the Senate Armed Services Committee’s concern regarding current DoD green building requirements. Current requirements result in the Department’s use of a single third-party green building ratings system. Unfortunately, this gives one private sector green building program monopoly status within the $500 billion U.S. Department of Defense. The Committee recommends that “the Department’s revised policy should provide for an equal consideration of other sustainable building certification systems which provide design standards for cost-effective facilities, incorporate life cycle assessments, and are created through a voluntary consensus process or through international sustainable building codes.”

“The sustainable building policy included in the FY2014 National Defense Authorization Act demonstrates a commitment to energy efficient buildings that are both cost effective and provide the level of support our military needs,” said Richard Church, executive director of AHPBC member organization Plastic Pipe and Fitting Association. “The diverse members of the American High Performance Buildings Coalition have come together in support of performance and consensus standards for green buildings. This report language encourages choice and points toward these priorities. Although we’d like to see legislation that mandates that all federal buildings use green building ratings systems that are true, affirmed consensus standards, this is a good step forward as we seek the right policies to help meet federal building sustainability goals.”

The American High Performance Buildings Coalition (AHPBC) represents and speaks for proponents of performance-based green building systems. AHPBC membership includes more than 40 organizations and sweeps across a broad range of green building materials, products, and technologies. The coalition’s mission is to support and promote green building codes, standards, rating systems and credits that are transparent, data-driven, supported by science, and performance-based.