The Washington state legislature passed Bill 5509 today requiring that major facility projects of public agencies must be certified to at least the LEED Silver standard set in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system.

Governor Christine Gregoire is expected to sign the bill into law, making Washington the first state to require LEED certification of public buildings. All major facility projects receiving any funding in a state capital budget, or projects financed through certain financing contracts, will have to be designed, constructed, and certified LEED Silver.

The requirement applies only to facilities that have not already entered the design phase, and only if an appropriate LEED Silver standards exists for that type of building. A "major facility project" is defined as having more than 5,000 square feet of occupied or conditioned space.

Under Washington's new law, public agencies and schools will be required to monitor the program and document costs and savings. An annual independent performance review will determine whether Olympia's goals are being met.
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The Mayor of Scottsdale, Arizona, today announced Resolution 6644, which requires all new public buildings to be certified LEED Gold. The resolution is the first city-wide mandate of its kind in the country to require LEED Gold.

The City Council passed the resolution following the success of the Scottsdale Green Building Program, begun in 1998. Scottsdale was the first community in the state to have such a program. Today, one in five new homes built in Scottsdale meet the program's environmental standards.

The LEED Green Building Rating System is a framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals. LEED certified buildings are designed to provide environmental and economic benefits, including the protection of local ecosystems, the conservation of natural resources, reduced building operating costs, and increased occupant health and productivity. The LEED guidelines were introduced in 2000 by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED certification includes such requirements as the use of recycled materials, improved ventilation, and efficiency in water and energy use.