Amendment ID: S3018-25

Amendment 25

Green building Certification

Mr. Tarr moves that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section _ the following:-

"SECTION_. Notwithstanding any other general of special law to the contrary, the Commonwealth hereby directs the Department of Housing and Community Development starting in the year 2023 to promulgate regulations to require any new construction or major rehabilitation development project that receives Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funding to earn green building certification. For the purpose of this provision, 'green building certification' shall mean third party certification, at appropriate certification levels, under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system, and other systems determined by the Department, in consultation with the Department of Energy Resources, to be equally rigorous to LEED with respect to energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and relevant climate mitigation practices such as commissioning and waste reduction.

The Department of Housing and Community Development is directed to amend its Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) to reflect the requirements of this section and promulgate as such. The Department is further directed to analyze and make publicly available, from time to time, post-occupancy analysis of energy and water efficiency of LIHTC-funded housing, and to provide information to potential LIHTC applicants about available incentives and other support for energy efficiency."