The Howard County Council last week unanimously passed a majority of the initiatives in a “green” building legislative package proposed by County Executive Kenneth Ulman.
The final version had nearly 20 amendments, including one that eliminates any penalty for builders that try, but fail, to meet environmentally friendly standards.
The amendment reverses course from the original bill, which required that certain commercial buildings reach a score of “certified” under a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit group that promotes green construction.
To ensure builders met environmental standards, Ulman’s plan originally would have required that a builder post a bond, which it would forfeit to the county if the buildings failed.