Saturday, December 15, 2007

Mayor Moyer Seeks To Impose New Green Building Requirements

As reported, the mayor is seeking to impose new building requirements based on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system:
Mayor Ellen O. Moyer introduced a bill to City Council Monday
requiring all new construction and major renovations of any buildings greater
than 10,000 square feet meet green building standards set by the Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, rating system. The move would make Annapolis one of the few areas in the region to demand such requirements.

Single-family homes also are included in the bill, requiring that all new
construction and major modifications to homes within the city meet at least the
lowest LEED standards, as well.

Folks, this stuff is expensive. First, home prices will go up, as will commercial rents, which we will pay for in the form of higher prices. Also, we will no doubt have to fund another inspector in city government to make sure all of the buildings are meeting the new green code.

Conservatives are wary of all government spending to begin with, but we certainly demand that our taxes are used to actually accomplish the stated goal. In the case of reducing our carbon footprint, there is absolutely no way to enjoy such a guarantee.

There is certainly not consensus about climate warming. The very measurements we use to determine climate patterns may not be reliable, and even given a pattern of warming, the link between human effect on this warming is debated. It takes a great deal of arrogance to accept that a couple of generations of humans can alter the cyclical climate patterns that have been going on for tens of thousands of years. Aren't we still coming out of an ice age? For a great post on this subject, click here.

Liberals, especially Mayor Moyer, disregard any debate on the issue and accept the responsibility of humans to challenge mother nature as their divine birthright. And we pay the price. Think of how many small businesses will shut down because they cannot afford to implement the new designs. Now think of how they will feel in 50 years when it is determined that the LEED designs have no impact on climate change!

Such issues deserve consideration when so much of our money is being thrown at the "problem".

3 comments:

Paul Foer said...

Brian and other readers: Global warming is fact, not some liberal fiction, regardless of your political bent or your opinion about regulation. Visit my rebuttal at www.annapoliscapitalpunishment.blogspot.com and see the Youtube videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDsIFspVzfI.

Anonymous said...

Forget the Climate Change impact this will have. The Mayor wants to see those businesses driven out so the city can replace the vacant buildings with parking lots!

Let the market work, Brian. If a business cannot run profitably by spending less on energy, than they need to find another line of work.

Anonymous said...

How will the legislation make home prices rise? How many residential buildings do you know of that are even close to 10,000 square feet? This is geared toward commercial and apartment buildings only.