Home ยป GSW // Michigan Legislature Introduces Clean Energy, Glazing Bill – Better For Clients Protection

GSW // Michigan Legislature Introduces Clean Energy, Glazing Bill – Better For Clients Protection

On March 8, several Michigan representatives and the Committees on Energy introduced a bipartisan bill to amend the 2010 “Property assessed clean energy act.” Amendments include a change in title and a new addition.

The act looks to “authorize local units of government to adopt property assessment programs and to create districts to promote the use of renewable energy systems, energy efficiency improvements…. to authorize local units of government to issue bonds, notes, and other evidences of indebtedness and to pay the cost of renewable energy systems, energy efficiency improvements…”

The newly added third part defines “energy efficiency improvement” as the acquisition, installation, replacement or modification of equipment, devices or materials intended to decrease energy consumption, including glass and glazing.

According to the legislation, glazing qualifies as this type of improvement when it is used in “storm windows and doors, multi-glazed windows and doors; heat-absorbing or heat-reflective glazed and coated window and door systems; and additional glazing, reductions in glass area, and other window and door system modifications that reduce energy consumption.”

Other devices and materials intended to decrease energy consumption include automated energy control systems; heating, ventilating, or air-conditioning and distribution systems; caulking, weather-stripping, or air sealing; lighting fixtures; energy recovery systems; and daylighting systems.

DC COUNCIL PROPOSES BIRD-SAFE GLASS AND GLAZING BILL

Council members in Washington, D.C., have submitted new legislation to help mitigate the number of unnecessary bird deaths in the city. On March 14, Mary Cheh, a D.C. council member, along with many other members, introduced the “migratory Local Wildlife Protection Act of 2022” to Nyasha Smith, secretary for the Council of the District of Columbia.

The legislation will require building permits for new construction or substantial improvements issued after January 1, 2023, to ensure the facade of the exterior wall envelope and exterior fenestration largely use bird-friendly materials. According to the document “substantial improvement” is defined as any repair, alteration, addition or improvement of a building or structure, of which the cost equals or exceeds 50% of the market value before the improvement starts.

The bill will also prescribe other building elements that must be constructed using bird-friendly materials after January 1,2023, and require that bird hazard installations use bird-friendly materials; endure the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, along with the Department of Energy and Environment issue regulations to implement the act; and establish the Bird-Friendly Buildings Fund to financially support. building owners to comply with the requirements.

The legislation would impact the exterior glazing for commercial buildings, multi-unit residential buildings, institutional facilities, or District-owned or operated buildings. Additionally, it ensures “each facade of the exterior wall envelope and any exterior fenestration shall be constructed with bird-friendly materials up to 100 feet above grade; provided that other materials may be used to the extent that they do not exceed an aggregate of 10 square feet within any 10 feet by 10 feet square area of exterior wall below 100 feet above grade.”

The bill deems property designated as a historic landmark as an exception to the rule.