Defense Department Musters Sustainable Building Practice

The National Concrete Masonry Association Government Affairs staff reports that the U.S. House of Representatives passed a version of the 2009 Department of Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 5658), with legislative language favorable to concrete masonry and hardscape interests

The National Concrete Masonry Association Government Affairs staff reports that the U.S. House of Representatives passed a version of the 2009 Department of Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 5658), with legislative language favorable to concrete masonry and hardscape interests. The department is directed to incorporate principles of sustainable design to be included in documents submitted as part of military construction projects and, further, that those projects are to incorporate life-cycle cost-effective practices as an element in project budgets.

The measure still must be approved by a House-Senate Conference Committee and be signed into law by President Bush. NCMA has continued to take the lead in working with Congress to ensure that our troops have the most durable and sustainable buildings, says Government Affairs Committee Chairman Don Foster.

From the beginning of our dialogue last year, the Armed Services Committee staff has expressed a willingness to address our concerns regarding the choice of building materials used to house our troops. Our legislative effort has focused on the fiscal year 2009 Department of Defense authorization bill as the vehicle in which to incorporate appropriate legislative and report language aimed at shifting policies which may allow for materials that have lower durability, less sustainability, and higher life-cycle costs than concrete masonry, adds Bill Plenge, NCMA’s Government Affairs Liaison.