GOODBYE CHOCOLATE CITY, HELLO SPINACH-OPLIS. A bill incorporating the tough-sounding Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard into the DC building code will be the subject of a DC Council hearing next week. The standard will apply to DC-sponsored and commercial buildings over 20,000SF.

The bill "not only provides developers, property owners, and their occupants with energy and water savings, good indoor air quality, and healthy, pleasant and productive surroundings, but also benefits the overall community by being resource-efficient and by conserving energy," said Councilmember Sharon Ambrose, who is taking the lead on the measure (B16-515).

Several DC buildings meet LEED standards, including the National Assn. of Realtors Building at 500 New Jersey Ave., NW, and the National Geographic Society Headquarters (pictured at the left) at 1145 17th St, NW.

Arlington, Chicago, New York and other cities already have adopted the LEED standard. Given the LEED standard's dull-toothed approach, there is no reason DC should not adopt this largely symbolic measure.

But its better than nothing and its a start down the road toward building a windmill atop the US Capitol. Don't scoff even George W. now says the US addicted to oil.

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$370M surplus in DC spent even before the proverbial checks were in the mail. ... More on the Logan Circle parking debate. One guy has the nerve to say there are racial overtones to the parishioners vs. Loganites debate. Look over here for some background.

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