This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Public Architects Committee and Committee on the Environment .
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A recent article from the
Federal Times for your information:
Lawmakers press GSA to abandon LEED standard
by Andy Medici
"The General Services Administration should stop using the LEED rating system to grade how green its buildings are, 56 House lawmakers from both parties said in a May 18 letter to GSA's acting administrator Dan Tangherlini.
The lawmakers said the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, run by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is adopting standards that unfairly hurt certain manufacturers of building materials.
GSA primarily uses the LEED system, which scores how green a building is based on everything from construction materials to its proximity to mass transit, as a benchmark for all of its construction projects.
Buildings can be LEED certified or achieve even higher degrees of "greenness" at the LEED Silver, Gold or Platinum levels. GSA has made it a goal to make all of its new construction LEED Gold certified.
At issue are rules slated to take effect July 1 that offers building owners LEED credit for avoiding a list of "chemicals of concern." The lawmakers said in the letter that the restrictions are arbitrary and would require agencies to use more costly materials in construction projects."
Read more:
http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20120522/FACILITIES02/205220301/1001 -------------------------------------------
Ann Harris
The American Institute of Architects
Washington DC
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