Torres, R-Saipan, said the Department of Public Works does not have personnel who are LEED certified.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Green Building Rating System — a consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.
Torres said DPW’s lack of LEED-certified personnel has led to increased construction costs due to delays in structural projects.
He said his measure, House Bill 16-149, aims to suspend for two years the LEED certification requirement so that DPW can have more time to train its personnel.
“DPW needs time to certify its personnel or to find additional funding to hire a LEED-accredited professional. In the short-term, the suspension of this provision will allow ongoing projects to proceed accordingly,” he said.
During the two-year suspension period, Torres said DPW can have its personnel test for LEED accreditation; align with the U.S. Green Building Council — a voluntary, nonprofit organization that oversees development of and certification by LEED standards, including training; hire a LEED-accredited professional to work with DPW’s technical services division; and apply for LEED certification of the building.
