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City of Cincinnati - Property Tax Abatement for Green Buildings

Note: Cincinnati's property tax abatement system was overhauled in 2023 by Ordinance 106-2023, which established different parameters for awarding tax abatements. LEED buildings still qualify for abatements but at different levels than under previous ordinances.

History

The City of Cincinnati offers property tax abatements for residential and commercial buildings constructed or renovated to meet LEED certification standards. The original green building tax abatement ordinance was passed in 2006 and has been amended four times since, culminating in the current abatement rules clarifications passed December 19, 2012. The incentive is available for any building within city limits and does not require

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Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit (Corporate)

NOTE:  The Renewable Energy Tax Credit is not allowable against Personal Income taxes since 2010, however the Corporate portion of the tax credit is still active. While the Corporate tax credit is still included in the statutes, there is no functional way to leverage the tax credit. 

Rhode Island offers a tax credit for photovoltaic systems (on-grid and off-grid), solar hot-water systems, active solar-heating systems, wind-energy systems and geothermal-energy systems installed on residences. The tax credit is equal to 25% of the system cost and applies only to residential installations. The tax credit is currently only available as deductible from Business Corporation

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Local Option - Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Systems

NOTE: H.B. 8354 enacted in July 2016 included a provision that exempted qualifying renewable energy equipment used in residential and manufacturing sector to be exempt from property taxes throughout the state, thereby superseding the local option provision. Renewable energy equipment used in commercial facilities are not included in the exemption.

Rhode Island allows cities and towns to exempt, by ordinance, renewable energy systems from property taxation. The term "renewable energy system" is not defined in the applicable statute (R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-3-21), but R.I. Gen Law § 39-26-5 defines renewable energy resources to include, direct solar radiation, wind, movement

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Property Tax Abatement for Production and Manufacturing Facilities

In May 2007, Montana enacted legislation (H.B. 3) that allows a property tax abatement for new renewable energy production facilities, new renewable energy manufacturing facilities, and renewable energy research and development equipment. Eligible facilities and equipment are assessed at 50% of their taxable value.

Qualifying renewable energy manufacturing facilities are those that (1) produce materials, components or systems to convert solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, biogas or waste heat resources into useful energy, and (2) whose annual production of renewable energy equipment makes up at least half of the facility's total production. Fuel cells and components of fuel cells that generate

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City of Austin - Residential and Commercial Green Building Requirements

The City of Austin has ambitious building energy efficiency codes, policies, and programs in place.

Building Codes

In February 2007, the city council passed the Austin Climate Protection Plan, calling for the drafting of new building codes consistent with reducing energy used in single-family homes by 65% and all other public and private buildings by 75% by 2015 (see Resolution No. 20070215-23). Accordingly, the Zero-Energy Capable Homes (ZECH) Task Force was designated to draft recommendations and progressively-increasing goals for the program. Furthermore, an Energy Efficiency Retrofits (EER) Task Force was created in December 2007 to examine strategies for reducing energy

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City of Dallas - Green Building Policy for Municipal Buildings (Energy Efficiency Requirements)

In 2003, the Dallas City Council passed a resolution requiring that all new municipal buildings larger than 10,000 square feet be constructed to meet U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification standards. In 2006 the green building program policy was updated, increasing the requirement for new city-funded public works and transportation facilities under the 2006 bond program to LEED Gold Certification.

The first building completed under this policy was the Jack Evans Police Headquarters, which obtained LEED Silver certification in December 2005. As of 2015, Dallas has 26 LEED certified facilities: 14 silver (includes

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Salt Lake City - High Performance Buildings Requirement

Salt Lake City's mayor issued an executive order in July 2005 requiring that all public buildings owned and controlled by the city be built or renovated to meet the requirements of LEED "silver" certification, at a minimum. A subsequent, related executive order was issued in January of 2006.

The Salt Lake City Council codified the requirements stated in the Executive Order in November 2006. The requirement applies to all new building projects over 10,000 square feet which are owned and operated by the city. The policy also affects the major renovation of public buildings when the work demolishes space down

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New Jersey Solar Easement and Access Laws

Right To Installation:

In 2007, New Jersey enacted legislation preventing homeowners associations from prohibiting the installation of solar collectors on certain types of residential properties. The term "solar collector" is not defined, but would seem to include both solar photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies. This law covers only dwellings that are not deemed community property of the association, including townhouses which have at least two sides that are unattached to any other building and for which the owner, rather than the association, is responsible for roof maintenance. 

In addition, the law applies specifically to systems installed on the roofs of

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Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard

North Carolina's Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (CEPS), originally established as a Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) by Senate Bill 3 in August 2007, requires all investor-owned utilities in the state to supply 12.5% of 2020 retail electricity sales (in North Carolina) from eligible energy resources by 2021. Municipal utilities and electric cooperatives must meet a target of 10% renewables by 2018 and are subject to slightly different rules. In February 2008, the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) issued an order adopting final rules to implement the CEPS. 

Eligible Technologies

Eligible energy resources include solar-electric

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City of Scottsdale - Green Building Policy for Public Buildings

As of Dec. 6, 2022, the Scottsdale City Council has adopted the 2021 edition of the International Energy Construction Code (IECC) and the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) with amendments as mandatory codes. The effective date for the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is Jan. 7, 2023.

In 2005, Scottsdale approved a green building policy for new city buildings and remodels. The resolution requires all new, occupied city buildings of any size to be designed, contracted and built to achieve certification by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Program at the "Gold" certification level

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