Design & Build With Metal: Will They Or Won’t They? Metal Roof Tax Credit Renewal

Congress returned from their August recess on September 8, 2008, and remains in session until September 25. After that, they will adjourn for the remainder of the year. The priority for Congress in the three weeks ahead is clearly dealing with the rising cost of energy.

Over the past year, both houses of Congress have introduced bills that would have provided incentives for the development and use of renewable energy, and for improved energy efficiency. Those incentives also pertained to the building construction industry, where extension and enhancement of tax credits and deductions were proposed for residential and commercial construction. Some of the proposed provisions would have renewed tax incentives that expired at the end of 2007. This includes the $500 tax credit for homeowners who would install an Energy Star labeled prepainted metal roof. Other provisions would have increased tax deduction amounts and/or extended the time period for incentives to commercial building owners who use more energy efficient materials and systems in their design.

Sadly, all attempts to pass that kind of legislation have failed. The primary impass has been the issue of “pay for”. Basically, the Democrats have taken a stance that any tax incentives to be paid out must be balanced or paid for by some other source of revenue. The political football in this debate has been the existing tax breaks that the oil industry is receiving. In essence, one side of Congress is trying to remove or reduce the tax breaks for the oil industry to pay for tax breaks being offered to building owners and renewable energy developers. Every attempt to push legislation through the House of Representatives to the Senate, or vice versa, has resulted in a staring contest with either side waiting for the other to blink. So far, everyone is still staring at each other.

Meanwhile, in the marketplace, the solar power industry, wind industry, and geothermal industry are waiting for the catalyst to push their respective energy sources beyond the tipping point. Research continues to remove obstacles, improve efficiency, and lower the cost to utilities and building owners. Just last month a news release from MIT revealed that scientists have discovered a simple and inexpensive way to store solar energy for those times of day when the sun is not shining. That could move solar power into a mainstream energy source. In that same news article, we learn that the MIT physics, electrical engineering and computer science departments successfully transmitted electricity from a power source to a light bulb located 7 feet away…..WITH NO WIRES ! (www.csemag.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6589363)

So the marketplace is moving along nicely with technological improvements to our energy situation. Now we need Congress to pave the way with a stimulus or an incentive to building owners and designers to utilize the most energy efficient products available. There is a glimmer of hope on Capitol Hill. Just before the August recess, a bi-partisan group of senators began working on some strategies to successfully move the energy legislation through Congress. They were referred to as the “Group of 10”. The hope is that this group can convince others in Congress that the country needs help from the Federal Government to keep us on the right path toward higher use of renewable energy and energy efficient materials like cool metal roofing.

So now, all eyes are on Washington, DC, to see if the “Do Nothing” Congress, as one of our Presidential candidates referred to them, will look beyond their term and do something for the longer-term future of our country. Will they or won’t they?

Scott Kriner is the president and founder of Green Metal Consulting Inc. He is a LEED Accredited Professional who began his career in the metal construction industry in 1981. His company is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, the California Association of Building Energy Consultants and the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). Scott can be reached by email at skriner1@verizon.net, or by phone at (610) 966-2430. You can also visit him on the web at www.greenmetalconsulting.com.