AN ACT to allow counties and cities to provide building permit fee reductions or partial rebates to encourage construction of buildings using sustainable design principles to achieve energy efficiency.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 153A‑340 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(i)	In order to encourage construction that uses sustainable design principles and to improve energy efficiency in buildings, a county may charge reduced building permit fees or provide partial rebates of building permit fees for buildings that are constructed or renovated using design principles that conform to or exceed one or more of the following certifications or ratings:
(1)	Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification or higher rating under certification standards adopted by the U.S. Green Building Council.
(2)	A One Globe or higher rating under the Green Globes program standards adopted by the Green Building Initiative.
(3)	A certification or rating by another nationally recognized certification or rating system that is equivalent or greater than those listed in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 160A‑381 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(f)	In order to encourage construction that uses sustainable design principles and to improve energy efficiency in buildings, a city may charge reduced building permit fees or provide partial rebates of building permit fees for buildings that are constructed or renovated using design principles that conform to or exceed one or more of the following certifications or ratings:
(1)	Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification or higher rating under certification standards adopted by the U.S. Green Building Council.
(2)	A One Globe or higher rating under the Green Globes program standards adopted by the Green Building Initiative.
(3)	A certification or rating by another nationally recognized certification or rating system that is equivalent or greater than those listed in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection."

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 2nd day of August, 2007.

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Joe Hackney
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved 6:59 p.m. this 19th day of August, 2007