Environment: DC likely to mandate green construction

Manufacturing News, Source : The Manufacturer US
Published : 22 Nov 2006 15:12

The City Council in Washington DC is likely to pass a law in December that requires green certification for new buildings over 50,000 square feet, writes the Washington Post.

Green certification requires using partially recycled materials, reduced-output shower heads and toilets, among numerous other features.

Developers are complaining that this will up construction costs by as much as 11 percent, while proponents claim 2 to 4 percent.

Consumer goods makers and retailers have long observed that buyers are willing to pay more for "green" cars, cleaning products, etc. So have a few municipalities and companies, for example, in building Pittsburgh's green convention center.

But "green" is voluntary in those cases, this law would make DC the first major US city to mandate environmentally friendly construction.

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