The District of Columbia Council has voted in favor of the Green Building Act of 2006 (see News Wrap, December 2006), which requires developers to obtain green certification from the local government for nearly all new construction. The legislation must now go before Mayor Anthony A. Williams, who is expected to sign the measure into law early this year.

What distinguishes the act from environmentally friendly laws in other jurisdictions is its application of LEED standards to private construction projects. This stipulation would make the nation's capital the first major city to force private developers to adhere to the standards of the US Green Building Council.

DC appears to be at the forefront of the push by many major cities to go green. Boston recently announced plans to amend its building code to require all new construction of at least 50,000 sf to meet the minimum criteria of the USGBC as well.

The modification to Boston's building code would necessitate that a project meet at least 26 of the 69 criteria that the USGBC has established. The city will also include four additional regulations addressing transportation, energy, historic preservation and ground water.

According to published reports, it is anticipated that the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Zoning Commission will approve the amendment by the end of the month.