Massachusetts Adopts Minimum Green Standards for State Facilities
Minimum green building standards for all new construction and major renovation projects at state facilities in Massachusetts are outlined in a recently released report.
Minimum green building standards for all new construction and major renovation projects at state facilities in Massachusetts are outlined in a recently released report.
The new report, “Leading by Example: An Action Plan for Green Buildings in Massachusetts State Construction Projects,” was released December 1 at the Massachusetts Smart Growth Conference.
The report outlines the need and environmental and fiscal rationale for greening state construction practices, according to the
Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. It lays out a minimum standard that builds on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard established by the U.S. Green Building Council, with additional targeted requirements that will ensure efficient use of energy and water, as well as meeting smart growth and building commissioning objectives.
The report is the culmination of two years of work by the Sustainable Design Roundtable, a public-private effort of more than 70 high-level professionals that brought architects, designers, engineers and developers together with officials from state agencies responsible for managing construction at state facilities.
The Roundtable was a first step in defining key barriers to effective sustainable design programs and in promoting sustainable practices in the design and construction of schools and other public projects in Massachusetts.
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