Inslee Green Building amendment passes House

An amendment introduced by Representative Jay Inslee and passed unanimously in the House will enable small businesses across the nation to access Small Business Administration loans to reduce the environmental impact of their operations.

The amendment to the Small Business Lending Improvements Act will add green building design to the list of goals that the SBA will support. Other goals include rural development and revitalizing business districts.

Green buildings reduce the environmental impact of structures using natural lighting, improved heating and cooling, increased efficiency, and renewable energy. While building green can add 1 to 2 percent to construction costs, it can reduce long term costs by 20 percent or more. It can also improve worker productivity by up to 16% in various case studies.