To help the state shrink its carbon footprint – nearly 40 percent of which is made up of emissions from commercial buildings’ HVAC systems and other energy use – Gov. Ned Lamont is asking the state legislature to let cities and towns adopt “green” building codes.

An Act Concerning the Establishment of High Performance Green Building Standards for Voluntary Adoption by Municipalities would give towns that want to join the fight against climate change an opportunity to adopt a standardized high-performance building standard that lowers the environmental impact of buildings. The measure is included in Lamont’s package of budget bills for the General Assembly to consider this session.

An announcement from Lamont’s office said the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection would develop the new codes “to be cost-effective,” but did not address the concerns real estate industry groups have raised in other states that some of the most effective energy efficiency tools are too costly to incorporate into new development. The Connecticut Green Building Council has worked to research and analyze ways industry can more effectively reduce its carbon emissions.