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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Feldman

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2-19-07

HB

SHORT TITLE Green Building Certification Training Program

SB 996

ANALYST Woods

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

none

$100.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to SB981, SB543, and HB534

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Environment Department (NMED)

Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 996 seeks to appropriate $100,000 from the general fund to the Energy, Minerals and

Natural Resources Department for expenditure in fiscal year 2008 to develop a training and

education program for builders, architects, building inspectors and others in the building trades

for certification of personnel in green building technologies and design. Any unexpended or

unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall revert to the general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

EMNRD suggests that with the increase in green building practices (also referred to as

sustainable building practices) and the possible enactment of the Sustainable Building Tax

Credit, there is a growing need for qualified building professionals, from design through

construction and inspection, who can assure that the objectives of green building are indeed

Senate Bill 996 – Page

2

accomplished. Some professions, such as home energy rating, are not currently licensed, which

needs to be remedied. Others are licensed, but the methodologies that enable green building are

not yet incorporated into continuing education and examinations. This bill will provide the

mechanism to offer the required training and education so that all building professionals will

have the necessary skills to implement this new way of designing and constructing buildings and

proper certification can be implemented.

EMNRD further notes that the legislation will provide the department with the funding to create

such a program and allow for the expansion of technical assistance, beyond the current capacity,

to meet the needs of designers and builders in implementing green construction.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS:

NMED indicates that one its department goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to provide a

healthy environment for New Mexicans. Implementing green building technologies in this bill

would support that goal and NMED supports this endeavor.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

EMNRD indicates this bill supports SB543 and HB534, the Sustainable Building Tax Credit.

NMED adds that SB996 is similar to SB981 that appropriates money to New Mexico

Construction Industries Division to convene stakeholders for the development of new building

code provisions and the training contractors and inspectors in energy efficient building

construction.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

EMNRD suggests that, if SB996 is not enacted, building professionals will be largely left on

their own to figure out how to acquire the skills they need. This will likely lead to a wide

variation in the quality of workmanship and resulting energy reductions and resource utilization

being sought. NMED adds that, if not enacted, building design will remain the same and

opportunities for energy efficiency will be lost.

BFW/csd