The Net Zero Continuity Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026 addresses the urgent need to amend the Green Building Act of 2006 to exempt certain District-owned and -funded residential and nonresidential projects from net-zero-energy (NZE) standards. The resolution highlights the timeline of legislative actions taken since the Greener Government Buildings Amendment Act of 2022, which mandated NZE compliance for District-financed projects. It notes that previous exemptions for affordable housing projects have been enacted to ensure predictability in project design and development, and emphasizes the necessity of aligning the NZE standards for both residential and nonresidential projects to avoid confusion and uncertainty for developers.

The resolution underscores the potential gap in compliance requirements that could arise due to the expiration of temporary amendments related to the NZE standards. It stresses the importance of acting promptly to provide continuity and certainty for developers, particularly those involved in affordable housing projects, by aligning the various provisions impacting the NZE standard on a unified timeline. The Council determines that these circumstances constitute an emergency, necessitating the immediate adoption of the Net Zero Continuity Emergency Amendment Act of 2026 after a single reading.