A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to authorize mecklenburg county and the city of asheville to provide building permit fee reductions or rebates for buildings that are constructed or renovated using sustainable design principles.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 153A‑340 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(i)	A county may provide reduced building permit fees or rebates for buildings that are constructed or renovated using sustainable design principles in conformity with or exceeding any one or more of the following energy efficiency standards or green building ratings:
(1)	Standards adopted in 2004 by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air‑Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in ASHRAE 90.1‑2004.
(2)	Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and referred to as LEED‑NB Silver Standard for new buildings or the LEED‑EB building standard for existing buildings.
(3)	A Two Globes rating under the Green Globes program standards adopted by the Green Building Initiative.
(4)	Any other design or engineering standard that the county determines to be substantially equivalent to the other ratings and standards recognized by this subsection."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 160A‑381 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(f)	A city may provide reduced building permit fees or rebates for buildings that are constructed or renovated using sustainable design principles in conformity with or exceeding any one or more of the following energy efficiency standards or green building ratings:
(1)	Standards adopted in 2004 by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air‑Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in ASHRAE 90.1‑2004.
(2)	Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and referred to as LEED‑NB Silver Standard for new buildings or the LEED‑EB building standard for existing buildings.
(3)	A Two Globes rating under the Green Globes program standards adopted by the Green Building Initiative.
(4)	Any other design or engineering standard that the city determines to be substantially equivalent to the other ratings and standards recognized by this subsection."SECTION 3.  Section 1 of this act applies to the County of Mecklenburg only.  Section 2 of this act applies to the City of Asheville only.
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.