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B26-0521 • 2025

Sensible Pool Building Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Sensible Pool Building Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Energy
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
T. White
Last action
2025-12-02
Official status
Under Council Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill status shows it is under Council Review and has not yet become effective.

Sensible Pool Building Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This bill temporarily changes energy rules for swimming pool buildings built by the District government in Ward 8.

What This Bill Does

  • Exempts new natatoriums (swimming pool buildings) built by the District in Ward 8 from net zero energy requirements.
  • Requires that these natatoriums be built to at least LEED Silver standards as determined by the Department of Buildings.
  • Amends Section 11 of the Green Building Act of 2006 with two new subsections for this rule change.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The District government when building natatoriums in Ward 8

Terms To Know

Natatorium
A building designed to house a swimming pool.
Net zero energy compliance
Requirements defined in the Clean Energy DC Building Code Amendment Act of 2022 regarding how much clean energy a building must produce versus use.
LEED Silver standards
A specific level of green building certification determined by the Department of Buildings.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only applies to District government projects in Ward 8, not private builders or other wards.
  • The law is temporary and will expire after 225 days once it takes effect.
  • The exact start date depends on approval by the Mayor (or a veto override) and a 30-day congressional review period.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  2. 2025-12-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  3. 2025-12-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0521 Introduced by Councilmember T. White at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Sensible Pool Building Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
1

______________________________
Councilmember Trayon White, Sr.

A BILL
_______________
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
_______________
To amend, on a temporary basis, the Green Building Act of 2006 to exempt natatoriums built by 1
the District in Ward 8 from being required to maintain net zero energy compliance 2
standards and to require that Ward 8 natatoriums be built to at least LEED Silver 3
standards 4
5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 6
act may be cited as the “Sensible Pool Building Temporary Amendment Act of 2025”. 7
Sec. 2. Section 11 of the Green Building Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-8
234; D.C. Official Code § 6-1451.10) is amended by adding new subsections (a-1) and (a-2) as 9
follows: 10
“(a-1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, a District government project in 11
Ward 8 that includes the construction of a natatorium shall be exempted from the requirements to 12
maintain net zero energy compliance, as that term is defined in section 2(a)(3) of the Clean 13
Energy DC Building Code Amendment Act of 2022, effective September 21, 2022 (D.C. Law 14
24-177; D.C. Official Code § 6-1453.01(a)(3)). 15

2

“(a-2) Any natatorium constructed by the District shall be built to at least LEED Silver 16
standards as determined by the Department of Buildings.”. 17
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 18
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact 19
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 20
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 21
Sec. 4. Effective date. 22
(a) This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by 23
the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional 24
review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved 25
December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 26
(b) This act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect. 27