ROSSLYN, Va. - The Commercial Building Tax Deduction section of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, signed in August 2005, established as of Jan. 1, 2006 a new deduction for expenses incurred for energy-efficient commercial building property. The Commercial Building Tax Deduction Coalition has set up a new Web site at www.efficientbuildings.org to provide information and guidance on how the new tax incentive works.

In addition to educating the building community about the commercial building tax deduction provision, the main objectives of the Web site are to promote the provision's proper implementation and use, and keep the building community informed about the activities of the coalition.

"Efficientbuildings.org was developed to support the coalition's mission. The Web site acts as a resource for commercial building tax deduction information and serves as a reference to all parties involved, be it a coalition member or commercial building owner," says Kyle Pitsor, vice president of government relations for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). "The coalition hopes that the Web site is welcomed by the community and that it will eventually become a major vehicle for promoting energy-efficient technologies."

The Commercial Building Tax Deduction Coalition, convened by NEMA, with members including standards-developing organizations, manufacturers, building and trade associations, government officials, energy efficiency groups, and others, is working to ensure that the provision is implemented smoothly and to promote awareness and information about the benefits that all stakeholders derive from energy-efficient commercial buildings. The provision is effective for property placed in service from Jan. 1, 2006 through Dec. 31, 2007.

In addition to providing related tax deduction information and implementation guidance, the Web site lists contact information for the members of the coalition. Member organizations include the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Institute (ARI), American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA), Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association (PHCC), and Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA).

Publication date: 01/02/2006