A University of California regents committee on Wednesday took the first steps toward instituting comprehensive green building and clean energy standards for its 10 campuses.

If the policy is ultimately approved by the full Board of Regents, it is believed it will be the broadest green building effort embraced by any university system in the nation.

Several UC campuses already incorporate green building standards in construction, but the policy would be the first systemwide effort.

"When this is implemented, it will bring the university to a leadership role in this area," said student Regent Dexter Ligot-Gordon, the driving force behind the environmentally friendly building standards. "This is not only important to us, but also in how it shapes the industry standards."

The policy approved by the committee on grounds and buildings requires that, as of the 2004-05 fiscal year, all new and retrofitted buildings proposed for construction meet nationally accepted environmentally sound building policies and clean energy standards. The policies call for everything from the use of recycled building products and water conservation measures to increased use of renewable energy sources.

The policy also calls on the university to adopt clean energy standards for existing facilities by implementing energy efficient projects, incorporating renewable power measures and purchasing "green" or renewable power from the electrical grid.

The full Board of Regents must now vote to formally adopt the policy, possibly at its July 16 meeting.

Medical acute care facilities, which have specific facilities needs, would be exempted from the policy, although separate energy efficiency standards would be developed for those buildings.