High Performance Building Standards in New State Construction

Program Overview

Implementing Sector	State
Category	Regulatory Policy
State	New Jersey
Incentive Type	Energy Standards for Public Buildings
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies	Solar - Passive, Solar Water Heat, Solar Space Heat, Solar Photovoltaics, Wind (All), Biomass, Geothermal Heat Pumps, Combined Heat & Power, Daylighting, Wind (Small), Hydroelectric (Small)
Eligible Efficiency Technologies	Comprehensive Measures/Whole Building, Custom/Others pending approval
Applicable Sectors	State Government
Green Building Requirement	New buildings larger than 15,000 square feet constructed for the sole use of state entities should be designed and managed to meet high performance green building standards. A "high performance green building" must either attain a LEED Silver rating, a 2 globe rating from Green Globes, or a comparable rating designated by the Board of Public Utilities.
Equipment Efficiency Requirement	State agencies must use state funds to acquire products bearing the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star label.

Summary

In January 2008, New Jersey enacted legislation mandating the use of high performance green building standards in new state construction. The standard requires that new buildings larger than 15,000 square feet constructed for the sole use of state entities should be designed and managed to meet high performance green building standards. The law allows for exceptions from specific requirements in cases of practical difficulty. These exceptions only apply to the specific requirement in question and do not extend to all requirements. With some exceptions the state is also required to purchase Energy Star products when available, a provision adopted in 2007.

Authorities

Name	N.J. Stat. § 52:32-5.4 et seq.
Date Enacted	01/13/2008
Effective Date	01/13/2008
Name	N.J. Stat. § 52:34-6.4
Date Enacted	08/06/2007
Effective Date	08/06/2007