HOW MANY HOOPS WILL IT TAKE?

Following the destruction of the Louisiana Gulf Coast by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, torrents of public money are flowing into Louisiana.

The two main groups allocating this money are the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA), which is the funding mechanism for the federal dollars coming into the state, and the Louisiana Legislature, which controls the state budget.

The media is full of stories about bureaucratic nightmares and interminable red tape faced by homeowners and businesses trying to secure funding to rebuild.Ü

So why do the LRA and the Legislature want to tie rebuilding money to complex “green building standards” that will cost more and slow the process, with no guarantee of recouping the costs in future energy savings? The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is sponsoring state legislation and urging the LRA to impose the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.ÜÜ

Sounds good, but is it?

Last year a bill was introduced in the Louisiana Legislature to impose LEED standards for public buildings.ÜThe Legislative Fiscal Office estimated that such standards would have raised construction costs by up to 10 percent, and that any energy savings would not be commensurate with those costs.Ü

Another wrinkle involves the rating system.ÜLEED is rigid, time-intensive, and expensive to administer.Ü To achieve certification, points must be earned in various categories.ÜThese points must be approved by third-party certifiers, who are scarce and charge a premium for their services.Ü

But they have a corner on the market; so they support LEED to the exclusion of other professionals, including architects, builders and other contractors.Ü

Perhaps the biggest problem with LEED is that these standards discourage the use of products that originate in Louisiana’s core industries. The timber and petrochemical industries are among those that would be left behind on the road to recovery.

The timber industry in Louisiana grows trees under the strict standards of the internationally recognized Sustainable Forestry Initiative.ÜHowever, the USGBC would discourage — or even deny — the use of wood products grown in an environmentally approved manner by local landowners in our state.

With an economic impact of $4.5 billion and a payroll of $894 million, this is one of our most valuable resources.ÜIt provides a livelihood for our people and produces quality products that we need to rebuild.ÜState officials and the LRA do us a tremendous disservice if they apply criteria to the rebuilding process that increases costs, damages our industries, and destroys jobs.

The chemical industry is the heart of Louisiana’s manufacturing economy with a payroll of $1.7 billion and nearly 100,000 direct and indirect jobs.Ü

Louisiana is the nation’s third largest producer of chemicals with a value of over $30 billion annually. The products that originate in these facilities form the very foundation of our modern life and provide building materials that are tried and trusted.ÜIn many cases, they are the most economical and durable products available and are desperately needed in such a huge rebuilding effort.Ü

The process of designing and constructing homes and buildings to be environmentally friendly and energy efficient has been embraced by investors and homeowners worldwide.ÜBut it is unconscionable for the USGBC to pressure the LRA to direct money only to buildings that would use their standards — standards that add costs and time to rebuilding, but do not necessarily improve the environment.Ü

The last thing Louisiana citizens need is more red tape and paper to push.ÜAnd our basic industries certainly don’t need another devastating body blow.ÜHow many more hoops must we jump through on this painfully slow road to recovery?

Emily Stich, vice president and council director for LABI’s Environmental Quality Council, contributed to this column.