ITHACA — The Tompkins County Legislature on Tuesday adopted a green-building policy that mandates that new construction and major renovations of county-owned buildings or property must meet at least the equivalent of the LEED silver standard.
The legislation, approved by a 13 to 1 vote, leaves the decision on whether to seek the formal certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to be decided on a case-by-case basis, according to a Tompkins County news release.
The LEED silver standard is the second of four ratings levels the nonprofit USGBC has set for benchmarking green buildings, based on a points system. Its gold and platinum levels require more points than the silver level.
(Sponsored)
Don’t Take the Bait: Phishing Scams to Avoid
Americans lost $8.8 billion to phishing and other fraud in 2022, according to the Federal Trade Commission, with financial fraud increasing over 30% from 2021. Every day, thousands of people
Maximizing Tax Benefits for Energy-Efficient Buildings
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 significantly enhanced the Section 179D deduction, making it even more valuable for businesses investing in energy-efficient commercial building property (EECBP) and energy-efficient commercial
The county law applies to all projects valued at $500,000 or more. County legislator Mike Lane (D–Dryden) had proposed increasing the threshold for covered projects from $500,000 to $1 million, but that proposal was defeated by a 9-5 vote, according to the release.
Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com
