(1) All major facility projects of public agencies receiving any funding in a state capital budget, or projects financed through a financing contract as defined in RCW 39.94.020, must be designed, constructed, and certified to at least the LEED silver standard. This subsection applies to major facility projects that have not entered the design phase prior to July 24, 2005, and to the extent appropriate LEED silver standards exist for that type of building or facility.

(2) All major facility projects of any entity other than a public agency or public school district receiving any funding in a state capital budget must be designed, constructed, and certified to at least the LEED silver standard. This subsection applies to major facility projects that have not entered the grant application process prior to July 24, 2005, and to the extent appropriate LEED silver standards exist for that type of building or facility.

(3)(a) Public agencies, under this section, shall monitor and document ongoing operating savings resulting from major facility projects designed, constructed, and certified as required under this section.

(b) Public agencies, under this section, shall report annually to the department on major facility projects and operating savings.

(4) The department shall consolidate the reports required in subsection (3) of this section into one report and report to the governor and legislature by September 1st of each even-numbered year beginning in 2006 and ending in 2016. In its report, the department shall also report on the implementation of this chapter, including reasons why the LEED standard was not used as required by RCW 39.35D.020(5)(b). The department shall make recommendations regarding the ongoing implementation of this chapter, including a discussion of incentives and disincentives related to implementing this chapter.

(5) For the purposes of determining compliance with the requirement for a project to be designed, constructed, and certified to at least the LEED silver standard, the department must credit one additional point for a project that uses wood products with a credible third-party sustainable forest certification or from forests regulated under chapter 76.09 RCW, the Washington forest practices act. For projects that qualify for this additional point, and for which an additional point would have resulted in formal certification under the LEED silver standard, the project must be deemed to meet the standard under this section.

(6) During the 2021-2023 and 2023-2025 fiscal biennia, an alternative high-performance building certification, as determined by the legislature, may be used instead of the LEED silver building design, construction, and certification standard required by this section.

Conflict with federal requirements—Effective date—2023 c 474: See notes following RCW 28A.320.330.

Effective date—2021 c 332: See note following RCW 43.19.501.