ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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A RESOLUTION
25-541
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
June 25, 2024
To declare an emergency with respect to the need to amend the Housing Production Trust Fund
Act of 1988 to insert net zero energy requirements for large residential and mixed-use
construction projects receiving local subsidies; the Clean Energy DC Building Code
Amendment Act of 2022 to require periodic reporting on the development of universal
net zero energy building code regulations that will apply to residential and mixed-use
construction; and the Green Building Act of 2006 to remove those net zero energy
compliance provisions inserted by the Greener Government Buildings Amendment Act of
2022 that apply to residential and mixed-use projects; and to repeal the Green Housing
Transition Extension Temporary Amendment Act of 2024.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “Green Housing Coordination Emergency Declaration Resolution
of 2024”.
Sec. 2. (a) Under the Clean Energy DC Building Code Amendment Act of 2022, the
Mayor is required to promulgate rules by the end of calendar year 2026 that will impose a net
zero energy standard, including a prohibition on onsite fossil fuel combustion on most new
construction and major renovation projects.
(b) On January 12, 2023, Mayor Bowser signed into law the Greener Government
Buildings Act of 2022 (“GGBA”), which among other things compels District government
agencies to achieve net zero energy compliance in most new or substantially improved
government-owned and government-funded buildings.
(c) The Council funded the GGBA as part of the fiscal year 2024 budget process.
(d) In light of earlier legislation, the effect of the net zero energy compliance provisions
of the GGBA was to accelerate the existing net zero mandate specifically for government and
government-funded buildings.
(e) The Council, in consultation with the executive, affordable housing providers, and
local environmental advocates, has determined that the timing and nature of net zero standards
for residential and mixed-use construction projects should be adjusted. ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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(f) Large new-construction residential and mixed-use projects that receive funding
through the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Consolidated Request for
Proposals process should still be held to strong environmental standards, but these standards
should be applied through the solicitation and award process rather than the building permit
process.
Sec. 3. The Council determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute
an emergency making it necessary that the Green Housing Coordination Emergency Amendment
Act of 2024 be adopted after a single reading.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.