Amid national attention given to energy efficiency, supporters of an Ohio Senate resolution are saying new cutting-edge standards could do more to harm than help.
Should the statehouse decide to pass Senate Concurrent Resolution 25, it would discourage state entities from using the latest environmental standard for buildings known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Four, or LEED v4.
Proponents of the SCR 25 resolution think the new energy standards could hurt Ohio jobs.
“I am less concerned about getting a plaque that says I have the greenest building,” said Resolution Sponsor Joe Uecker, R-Miami Township. “I am more concerned with saving taxpayer money.”
But LEED v4 already has a stronghold in Ohio. According to a release from the U.S. Green Building Council, the company that developed LEED v4, Ohio has 549 LEED registered and certified K-12 and higher education institutions — more than in any other state.
The resolution urges “state agencies and other government entities” to adopt different efficiency standards that are “consistent with Ohio objectives and policies” but does not specify a preferred standards system.
The resolution, unlike a bill, will have no legal weight if passed — it will just be an approved opinion from the statehouse.
When asked if the state agencies would comply with the resolution, should it pass, Uecker said, “I like to think state government is very sensitive to the job market and act in a way that doesn’t detriment Ohio jobs.”
In order for a building to be certified by LEED v4, it must use certain materials and designs.
Opponents of LEED v4 say the standards would specifically affect Ohio chemical manufacturers that produce materials like vinyl siding, Styrofoam and PVC pipes, which do not count toward LEED v4 certification, Uecker said.
Ohio Representative Lou Gentile, D-Steubenville, who is on the Ohio Senate energy and natural resources committee, rejects that argument.
“There has not been any data presented before the committee that presents there would be a loss of jobs,” he said. “Part of the hole in the thinking is if this passes, at some point LEED version three is going to expire, so when it does, what is the standard going to be when it comes to construction?”
Part of the problem with LEED v4, the resolution states, is that it does not conform to American National Standards Institute procedures, a standard SCR 25 proponents think is more transparent and useful to government.
Gentile said he is concerned Ohio could fall behind in energy efficiency if it fails to keep up with the most recent standards.
“I think in a lot of ways (it) is good for the economy because it is encouraging innovation,” Gentile said. “My concern is that Ohio, by passing this resolution, would send a message that we don’t value energy efficient … facilities.”
Athens County Commissioner Chris Chmiel, a longtime supporter of energy efficiency and green energy, said he thinks jobs and the environment can benefit from higher energy standards.
“Philosophically, I don’t see why we can’t create more jobs doing things that are good for the environment,” Chmiel said. “Long term, if were working toward (a) more efficient economy, I don’t see why we would be fighting moving in that direction.”
@lucasdaprile
ld311710ohiou.edu
Fast Fact:
PROS: Proponents worry it could negatively affect Ohio’s chemical industries that make products like PVC piping and vinyl siding, which do not count towards a LEED v4 certification.
CONS: The resolution would discourage many Ohio public entities from adopting the latest in environmental standards, developed by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council.
This article appeared in print under the headline "Ohio Senate may reject use of new energy standards"
