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Washington, D.C. – In an effort to conserve our nation’s energy supply and encourage green building construction, Congressman Brian Baird (WA-03) has been working in Congress to provide tax incentives to owners who construct energy-efficient buildings. Today, Rep. Baird praised passage of a five year extension of the commercial buildings tax deduction that was included in the H.R. 6049, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act, that passed the House today by a vote of 263-160.
“Encouraging commercial buildings to ‘go green’ makes sense. It’s an innovative approach towards reducing our country’s dependence on foreign fuels, lowers pollution levels, and moreover, is good for the environment,” said Rep. Baird. “Considering our nation’s energy crisis, this bill makes vital steps to extend tax incentives for building owners who invest in the construction of energy-efficient buildings and do their part to reduce energy consumption.”
In February of this year, the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation extends the tax incentives for renewable electricity, energy and fuel, as well as for plug-in hybrid cars, and energy efficient homes, buildings, and appliances. Included in the bill is a provision based on H.R. 539, legislation that Congressman Baird and Congresswoman Allison Schwartz (PA-13) introduced last year that encourages the construction of energy-efficient, or “green,” commercial buildings through tax incentives.
In the 109th Congress, Congressman Baird helped introduce legislation that led to a one-year extension of the commercial buildings tax deduction. In 2007, Congressman Baird introduced the Buildings for the 21st Century Act to extend the deduction through 2013.
Baird has led the effort for targeted tax incentives to reduce power consumption in newly-constructed commercial buildings and retro-fitted existing commercial facilities. Commercial buildings taking advantage of these tax deductions must be designed or renovated to reduce the total annual energy and power costs of the interior lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water systems by at least 50 percent compared to minimum building energy requirements. Building owners must demonstrate they have reached this 50 percent savings target by obtaining certification from a qualified expert, such as an engineer or properly licensed contractor.
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