Florida Senate - 2011                                     SB 396
       
       
       
       By Senator Bennett
       
       
       
       
       21-00368-11                                            2011396__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to building construction and
    3         inspection; amending s. 255.252, F.S.; conforming
    4         provisions to changes made by the act; amending s.
    5         255.253, F.S.; redefining the term “sustainable
    6         building rating” to include the International Green
    7         Construction Code; amending ss. 255.257 and 255.2575,
    8         F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the
    9         act; amending s. 468.8314, F.S.; expanding the
   10         categories of persons who may be certified as
   11         qualified for a license by endorsement as a home
   12         inspector; amending s. 553.74, F.S.; revising
   13         requirements for selecting a member of the Florida
   14         Building Commission; providing an effective date.
   15  
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 255.252,
   19  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   20         255.252 Findings and intent.—
   21         (3) In order for that such energy-efficiency and
   22  sustainable materials considerations to become a function of
   23  building design and a model for future application in the
   24  private sector, it is shall be the policy of the state that
   25  buildings constructed and financed by the state be designed and
   26  constructed to comply with a sustainable building rating the
   27  United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in
   28  Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the Green
   29  Building Initiative’s Green Globes rating system, the Florida
   30  Green Building Coalition standards, or a nationally recognized,
   31  high-performance green building rating system as approved by the
   32  department. It is further the policy of the state, if when
   33  economically feasible, to retrofit existing state-owned
   34  buildings in a manner that minimizes which will minimize the
   35  consumption of energy used in the operation and maintenance of
   36  such buildings.
   37         (4) In addition to designing and constructing new buildings
   38  to be energy-efficient, it is shall be the policy of the state
   39  to operate and maintain state facilities in a manner that
   40  minimizes which will minimize energy consumption and maximizes
   41  maximize building sustainability, and to operate as well as
   42  ensure that facilities leased by the state are operated so as to
   43  minimize energy use. It is further the policy of the state that
   44  the renovation of existing state facilities be in accordance
   45  with a sustainable building rating the United States Green
   46  Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental
   47  Design (LEED) rating system, the Green Building Initiative’s
   48  Green Globes rating system, the Florida Green Building Coalition
   49  standards, or a nationally recognized, high-performance green
   50  building rating system as approved by the department. State
   51  agencies are encouraged to consider shared savings financing of
   52  such energy-efficiency and conservation projects, using
   53  contracts that which split the resulting savings for a specified
   54  period of time between the state agency and the private firm or
   55  cogeneration contracts and that which otherwise permit the state
   56  to lower its net energy costs. Such energy contracts may be
   57  funded from the operating budget.
   58         Section 2. Subsection (7) of section 255.253, Florida
   59  Statutes, is amended to read:
   60         255.253 Definitions; ss. 255.251-255.258.—
   61         (7) “Sustainable building rating” means a rating
   62  established by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC)
   63  Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating
   64  system, the International Green Construction Code (IGCC), the
   65  Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes rating system, the
   66  Florida Green Building Coalition standards, or a nationally
   67  recognized, high-performance green building rating system as
   68  approved by the department.
   69         Section 3. Subsection (4) of section 255.257, Florida
   70  Statutes, is amended to read:
   71         255.257 Energy management; buildings occupied by state
   72  agencies.—
   73         (4) ADOPTION OF STANDARDS.—
   74         (a) All state agencies shall adopt a sustainable building
   75  rating system the United States Green Building Council (USGBC)
   76  Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating
   77  system, the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes rating
   78  system, the Florida Green Building Coalition standards, or a
   79  nationally recognized, high-performance green building rating
   80  system as approved by the department for all new buildings and
   81  renovations to existing buildings.
   82         (b) No state agency shall enter into new leasing agreements
   83  for office space that does not meet Energy Star building
   84  standards, except when determined by the appropriate state
   85  agency head determines that no other viable or cost-effective
   86  alternative exists.
   87         (c) All state agencies shall develop energy conservation
   88  measures and guidelines for new and existing office space where
   89  state agencies occupy more than 5,000 square feet. These
   90  conservation measures shall focus on programs that may reduce
   91  energy consumption and, when established, provide a net
   92  reduction in occupancy costs.
   93         Section 4. Subsection (2) of section 255.2575, Florida
   94  Statutes, is amended to read:
   95         255.2575 Energy-efficient and sustainable buildings.—
   96         (2) All county, municipal, school district, water
   97  management district, state university, community college, and
   98  Florida state court buildings shall be constructed to comply
   99  with a sustainable building rating system meet the United States
  100  Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and
  101  Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the Green Building
  102  Initiative’s Green Globes rating system, the Florida Green
  103  Building Coalition standards, or a nationally recognized, high
  104  performance green building rating system as approved by the
  105  Department of Management Services. This section applies shall
  106  apply to all county, municipal, school district, water
  107  management district, state university, community college, and
  108  Florida state court buildings the architectural plans of which
  109  are commenced after July 1, 2008.
  110         Section 5. Subsection (3) of section 468.8314, Florida
  111  Statutes, is amended to read:
  112         468.8314 Licensure.—
  113         (3) The department shall certify as qualified for a license
  114  by endorsement an applicant who:
  115         (a) Is of good moral character as determined in s.
  116  468.8313; holds a valid license to practice home inspection
  117  services in another state or territory of the United States,
  118  whose educational requirements are substantially equivalent to
  119  those required by this part; and has passed a national,
  120  regional, state, or territorial licensing examination that is
  121  substantially equivalent to the examination required by this
  122  part;
  123         (b) Possesses a one and two family dwelling inspector
  124  certification issued by the International Code Council or the
  125  Southern Building Code Congress International;
  126         (c) Has been certified as a one and two family dwelling
  127  inspector by the Florida Building Code Administrators and
  128  Inspectors Board under part XII of chapter 468; or
  129         (d) Possesses a Division I contractor license under part I
  130  of chapter 489.
  131         Section 6. Paragraph (v) of subsection (1) of section
  132  553.74, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  133         553.74 Florida Building Commission.—
  134         (1) The Florida Building Commission is created and shall be
  135  located within the Department of Community Affairs for
  136  administrative purposes. Members shall be appointed by the
  137  Governor subject to confirmation by the Senate. The commission
  138  shall be composed of 25 members, consisting of the following:
  139         (v) One member who is a representative of the green
  140  building industry and who is a third-party commission agent, a
  141  Florida board member of the United States Green Building Council
  142  or Green Building Initiative, a professional who is accredited
  143  under the International Green Construction Code (IGCC), or a
  144  professional who is accredited under Leadership in Energy and
  145  Environmental Design (LEED) LEED-accredited professional.
  146  
  147  Any person serving on the commission under paragraph (c) or
  148  paragraph (h) on October 1, 2003, and who has served less than
  149  two full terms is eligible for reappointment to the commission
  150  regardless of whether he or she meets the new qualification.
  151         Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.