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Search Results for Topic : Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Portland, OR Green Roofs
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency, Climate Change Planning
Oregon
Municipal
Portland requires all new buildings with a net building area of 20,000 square feet or more in the Central City Plan District zoned CX, EX, RX, and IG1 to have green roofs (33.510.243 Ecoroofs). Up to 40% of the roof can alternatively house mechanical equipment, skylights, solar panels, wind turbines, rain capture equipment, or common areas. Green roofs are cooler than conventional roofs, help with air pollution, and keep buildings cooler...
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Town of Huntington Climate Action Plan
Date Added: Monday, June 11, 2018Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency, Land Use Planning, Solar Energy, Stormwater Management, Transportation & Land Use Planning, Climate Change Planning
New York
Municipal
In 2015, the Town of Huntington, New York released its Climate Action Plan. The Plan calls for removing zoning hurdles that obstruct the development of solar energy systems on private property and to streamline the permitting process. It calls for the installation of solar PV capacity on every public facility that can reasonably support such systems. The Plan also notes that to achieve economies of scale, the Town should bid multiple installations together or use requirements contracts to promote cost efficiencies. The plan also directs the Tow..
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Town of DeWitt, New York Sustainability Plan & Solar Task Force
Date Added: Thursday, June 7, 2018Energy Efficiency & Conservation, Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency, Local Boards, Solar Energy
New York
Municipal
In 2010, the Town of DeWitt, New York adopted a Sustainability Policy that stated goals and related planning initiatives to increase the Town's environmental sustainability. Following this, the Town adopted a Sustainability Plan in 2014 to provide GHG emission reduction strategies for achieving Sustainability Policy goals and to guide municipal operations. The Sustainability Policy presents a goal to “review and revise Town codes, plans and policies to support energy efficiency, renewable energy systems and green practices.” Its related plann..
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City of Bloomington High Intensity Mixed Use with Residential District Ordinance
Date Added: Thursday, April 6, 2017Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency, Mixed/Multiple Use, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Zoning
Minnesota
Municipal
The Bloomington City Code provides for an “HX-R” zoning district (high intensity mixed use with residential) that aims to reduce vehicle trips and vehicle miles traveled by maximizing high-intensity development in close proximity to transit. The ordinance prohibits drive-through and other car-oriented uses. It provides a minimum density of 30 dwelling units per acre of gross site area for residential development in order to promote a critical mass of dwelling units in an area that can support neighborhood-oriented retail and service uses (the..
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City of Santa Barbara Energy Efficiency Standards
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
California
Municipal
The City of Santa Barbara, California, modified its energy efficiency standards to correspond with the first level of the Architecture 2030 Challenge and to reduce its fossil fuel usage in its buildings by 50% below the regional average. Also, the City has set a goal to reduce energy consumption to achieve “carbon neutrality” by 2030 in new buildings and retrofits.
In order to meet these goals, the City has set forth increased minimum energy efficiency standards for all new construction (residential and commercial) of any size, additions to..
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City of Ronhert Park Local Energy Efficiency Standards & Green Buildings Ordinance
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
California
Municipal
The City of Rohnert Park’s “Energy Efficiency Standards” set minimum energy efficiency requirements for all new low-rise residential construction of any size, all low-rise residential additions equal to or greater than one thousand square feet of conditioned floor area, and all residential and nonresidential swimming pools and water features. The standards operate by setting required levels of efficiency that exceed the state-level energy requirements by a certain percentage. The percentages are imposed on a sliding scale, such that increasing..
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County of Rockland Green Building Standards
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
New York
Municipal
Rockland County, New York, is a suburban county on the coast of the Hudson River, located about 12 miles north of New York City. Rockland is one of 24 municipalities in New York State to be designated as a Preserve America Community under the federal government’s Preserve America Program which is administered by the National Park Service and allocates federal grant money in order to preserve the country’s natural, historic, and cultural resources. Rockland has many lakes, wetlands, and designated park areas, and the county is promoting green ..
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City of Portland Green Building Code
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Maine
Municipal
Under its Green Building Code, the City of Portland, Maine requires all new construction and renovation projects having total construction costs of greater than $250,000 to attain United States Green Building Council’s (USBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the Silver level, if the project is either: (1) to be owned or occupied by the City and is of at least 5,000 square feet in floor area; or (2) to be funded in whole or in part by the City and is of at least 10,000 square feet in floor area. Buildings mus..
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City of Pasadena Green Building Practices
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
California
Municipal
The city of Pasadena, California has adopted into its municipal code Green Building Practices in order to promote sustainable development and environmentally-friendly construction. Pasadena is located in Los Angeles County, surrounded by the Raymond Fault Line, San Rafael Hills, and San Gabriel Mountains. Home to approximately 148,000 residents, the city is perhaps most famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl college football game. In 2007, Pasadena became involved with other cities in the state (including Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Fr..
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Town of Normal Environmentally Sensitive Design Ordinance
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Illinois
Municipal
The town of Normal rests in the heart of central Illinois, with a population of roughly 50,000 residents. Over the past several years, the town has been making efforts to revitalize its downtown area through new construction projects, remodeling of older buildings, and more modern infrastructure. Recognizing the importance of sustainable development, the Town Council formed the “Green Team” in 2006, to advance Normal’s environmental stewardship initiative. Additionally, the Council passed an ordinance to promote “Environmentally Sensitive De..
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County of Mecklenburg Green Permit Fee Rebate
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
North Carolina
Municipal
Mecklenburg County, which is located in the southwestern portion of North Carolina, contains seven municipalities and includes the state capital, Charlotte. The County has an area of 546 square miles and approximately 953,304 residents, making it the most populous county in North Carolina. As a 50% population increase is projected in the next 25 years, the County is prioritizing the protection of its natural resources.
Part of this plan is the County’s Green Permit Fee Rebate Ordinance, which provides reductions or partial rebates of build..
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County of Lake Green Building & Development Code
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Florida
Municipal
Lake County, Florida is located in central Florida and is named after the numerous lakes in the area. There are approximately 1,400 named and identified lakes in the County. Lake County has a population of 307,243 people and has a total area of 1,156 square miles. A total of 203 square miles (17%) of the County’s area is water. The County has experienced several devastating storms, tornados and hurricanes in the past four years.
The County has an innovative green building incentive created to establish major environmental goals. The State o..
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City of Jersey City Green Building Initiative for Municipal Projects & Green Building Incentives
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
New Jersey
Municipal
Jersey City, New Jersey, is part of the New York metropolitan area and lies on the west bank of the Hudson River across from Lower Manhattan, where about 26% of its employed residents work. Jersey City has a population of 242,389 with a density of roughly 16,045.5 people per square mile across a total area of 21.1 square miles (14.9 comprised of land and 6.2 of water). Jersey City is a port city, commercial and industrial center, and transportation terminus, although parts of the city remain under-utilized after years of commercial inactivity..
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City of Hayward Green Buildings Requirements for Municipal and Private Developments
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
California
Municipal
The City of Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of 2007, Hayward’s estimated population was 155,312 residents. The City has a total area of 63 square miles, of which 29.68% is water. The City is located on the Hayward Fault, an earthquake fault, which is still the center of town. Hayward has transit stations for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), a heavy-rail system that connects San Francisco with various East Bay cities.
Hayward is located in the environmentally active California San Francisco Bay, and the C..
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Town of Epping Energy Efficiency & Sustainable Design Ordinance
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
New Hampshire
Municipal
The Town of Epping, New Hampshire, population 5,476, established a more stringent energy code than the state, which adopted the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) 2006 Edition with amendments. The town's energy efficiency and sustainable design code is based on a system that awards points for various sustainable elements and energy production practices. Epping’s point system is similar to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system in establishing criteria to meet heightened energy ..
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City of El Paso Sustainable Development Design Standards & Green Building Grant Program Guidelines
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Texas
Municipal
Under the El Paso, Texas sustainable development design standards, the City mandates that all city buildings meet green development standards and provides significant monetary incentives for private developers to do the same. El Paso has over 600,000 residents, and the climate is arid and warm with limited precipitation. The City recently started a sustainability campaign culminating in the “Green Summit 2009,” which presented the sustainable development design standards.
El Paso mandates that all new city owned buildings over 5,000 sq. feet..
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Town of Babylon Green Building Certification Ordinance
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
New York
Municipal
The Town of Babylon is located on Long Island, New York, with a population of approximately 211,792 people. The Town has a population density of 4,050 people per square mile, and a per capita income of $22,844. Babylon has a total area of 114.2 square miles, and about 54% of the Town’s total area is water. Babylon is home to beaches and several state parks.
The Town of Babylon was the first town on Long Island to adopt Energy Star standards for new homes, but the Town of Babylon did not stop there. Under its Green Building Certification l..
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City of Annapolis Green Buildings: Energy Efficiency and Environmental Design
Date Added: Saturday, August 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Maryland
Municipal
The City of Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, is set in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay. Only 29 miles east of Washington D.C., Annapolis has a population of 36,524 people, with a population density of 5,326 people per square mile. Annapolis has several public transportation options, including an eight-route bus system and railway connecting the city to nearby Washington D.C. and Baltimore.
Annapolis uses an integrated approach in regulating the planning, design, and sustainability of buildings. The city’s sustainable building law manda..
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West Hollywood Green Building Ordinance
Date Added: Wednesday, June 29, 2016Development Standards, Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
California
Municipal
West Hollywood adopted one of the nation’s first mandatory green building ordinances, and it became effective in 2007. The ordinance ensures that new buildings will be healthier for residents, and use energy and resources more efficiently. Flexibility, responsiveness to local conditions, and cost-effectiveness are key features of the ordinance. The City has created a green building manual to guide users through the process. The green building requirements and incentives and private development ordinance focus on establishing new development sta..
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San Francisco Green Building Code
Date Added: Wednesday, June 29, 2016Development Standards, Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
California
Municipal
To ensure that all buildings are healthy, sustainable places to live, work and learn, the San Francisco Green Building Code requirements reduce energy and water use, divert waste from landfills, encourage alternate modes of transportation, and support the health and comfort of building occupants in San Francisco. The 2008 green building requirements apply to newly constructed residential and commercial buildings and for major renovations to existing buildings. New construction in San Francisco must meet all applicable California codes, provide ..
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Bloomington Indiana Green Building Program
Date Added: Monday, June 27, 2016Development Standards, Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Indiana
Municipal
In the Municipal Code contains a Green Building Program, Chapter 2.29. The purpose of this program is to further the city’s commitment to environmental, economic and social stewardship, yield cost savings to city taxpayers through reduced operating costs, provide healthy work environments for staff and visitors, reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, and prepare for a current period of reduced supply of oil and natural gas. The program adopts LEED certification. ..
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San Antonio Ordinance Approving and Adopting Sustainable Task Force
Date Added: Monday, June 27, 2016Development Standards, Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Texas
Municipal
Mission Verde focuses on economic growth and development to drive environmental and equitable outcomes, rather than using environmental goals to drive economic growth. The intent of the plan was to invest in energy saving initiatives that would save the consumer and the community money, and serve as a catalyst for job creation and innovation. Ordinance 2009-03-12-0179 discusses adopting the Sustainable Building Task Force, provides amendments to the city code to implement certain recommendations, providing for an effective date and severance. ..
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Tuscon Ordinance Amending the Unified Development Code
Date Added: Monday, June 27, 2016Development Standards, Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Arizona
Municipal
As a part of the Sustainability Framework for Plan Tuscon, the Sustainable Code project was created to facilitate, clarify, and remove regulatory obstacles pertaining to urban agriculture, solar development standards and other miscellaneous green improvements to the Unified Development Code. Each component of the project is being developed and processed separately. City staff revised relevant portions of the Unified Development Code to facilitate stated sustainability goals and policies including urban agriculture, energy and water conservation..
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Miami-Dade County Resolution Declaring Sustainable Development Measures
Date Added: Monday, June 27, 2016Development Standards, Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Florida
Municipal
The Board of County Commissioners approved Resolution #R-1200-05 in 2005. This resolution establishes the incorporation of sustainable development building measures into the design, construction, renovation and maintenance of County-owned, County-finances and County-operated buildings. ..
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Miami-Dade County Ordinance Sustainable Buildings Program
Date Added: Monday, June 27, 2016Development Standards, Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Florida
Municipal
Ordinance 07-65 was approved on May 8, 2007. This ordinance amended the Code of Miami-Dade County to establish a Sustainable Buildings Program for Miami-Dade County facilities. In this legislation, the County established a program to promote the green design, construction and operation of buildings that are developed, constructed and managed by the County. ..
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City and County of San Francisco Green Building, Environment Codes - Better Roof Requirements for Renewable Energy Facilities
Date Added: Wednesday, June 22, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency, Solar Energy
California
Municipal
In order to combat climate change and its potential effects on the peninsula based city, San Francisco has become the first large American city to enact an ordinance mandating that all new structures, fewer than 10 stories tall, must be outfitted with solar panels. This ordinance will take effect in 2017. The San Francisco ordinance exceeds the requirements set by state law mandating that new buildings must reserve a “solar zone” of roof space for the installation of solar panels. Although the article states that the California law mandates a ..
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City of Doraville Buildings and Building Regulation Ordinance
Date Added: Wednesday, February 10, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Georgia
Municipal
Under the Doraville, Georgia buildings and building regulation, the City formally adopts Version 2.2 of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for New Construction and Major Renovations rating system (LEED-NC), any future amendments thereto will be reviewed by the City before consideration is given to the adoption of such amendments. Doraville is a northern suburb of Atlanta and covers 3.6 square miles with almost 11,000 residents. The area typically has hot humid summers and mild, but occasiona..
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County of Cook Building Construction Ordinance
Date Added: Wednesday, February 10, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Illinois
Municipal
Cook County, Illinois has over 130 incorporated municipalities, the largest of which is the county seat, Chicago, which makes up approximately 54% of the population of the county. The county of 5,294,664 residents is the second most populous in the United States after Los Angeles County, and is home to 43.3% of Illinois residents. Cook is on the coast line of Lake Michigan and has a total area of 1,635 square miles, 946 of which is land and 689 of which is water.
Cook County’s Building Construction ordinance requires that all newly constru..
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Town of Chapel Hill Energy Conservation in Design and Construction of New and Renovated Town Buildings
Date Added: Wednesday, February 10, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
North Carolina
Municipal
Chapel Hill, North Carolina passed an “Energy Conservation in Design and Construction of New and Renovated Town Buildings” ordinance to require the greening of public buildings. The ordinance makes it mandatory for new municipal buildings and additions greater than 5,000 square feet to achieve “Silver” level LEED certification. The ordinance also gives the Town Council authority to require buildings and additions smaller than 5,000 square feet to achieve LEED silver certification. The ordinance does not apply to retrofits or renovations of t..
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County of Catawba Building Services Fee Schedule – Green Building Incentives
Date Added: Wednesday, February 10, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
North Carolina
Municipal
Under the Catawba County Building Services Fee Schedule, the County provides owners of new construction with a rebate off of blanket permit fees if the structures achieve certification in a designated green building program. Catawba County, North Carolina, is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains which provide moderate winter temperatures and summer breezes. The County covers 405 square miles, consisting of 8 municipalities and an estimated population of over 150,000 inhabitants.
Under the fee schedule new structures are e..
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City of Boulder Green Building and Green Points Program
Date Added: Wednesday, February 3, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Colorado
Municipal
The City of Boulder, Colorado, just 25 miles northwest of Denver, lies within Boulder Valley east of Rocky Mountain National Park. Boulder is known for its outdoor activities, including cycling and running, and has earned a reputation as “green” city due to the City’s walkability, transit oriented development, green building techniques, and overall aesthetically pleasing design. The Green Points Program (“Green Points”), created in 1996, was the first mandated municipal residential dwelling building code in the country. Boulder’s green building..
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County of Baltimore Property Tax Credit for High Performance Buildings and Homes
Date Added: Wednesday, February 3, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Maryland
Municipal
Baltimore County, Maryland is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan area. As of 2004 Baltimore County’s population was estimated to be 763,181. Baltimore County’s boundaries do not actually include the City of Baltimore. The northern regions of Baltimore County are primarily rural, home to old deciduous forests. The County’s population density is 1,260 people per square mile, and the County has a total area of 682 square miles.
Baltimore County’s green building incentives come in the form of property tax. Properties that may receive ..
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City of Annapolis Green Buildings: Energy Efficiency and Environmental Design
Date Added: Wednesday, January 27, 2016Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Maryland
Municipal
The City of Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, is set in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay. Only 29 miles east of Washington D.C., Annapolis has a population of 36,524 people, with a population density of 5,326 people per square mile. Annapolis has several public transportation options, including an eight-route bus system and railway connecting the city to nearby Washington D.C. and Baltimore.
Annapolis uses an integrated approach in regulating the planning, design, and sustainability of buildings. The city’s sustainable building law manda..
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Buildings and Building Regulation Ordinance
Date Added: Wednesday, October 21, 2015Green Buildings & Energy Efficiency
Georgia
Municipal
Under the Doraville, Georgia buildings and building regulation, the City formally adopts Version 2.2 of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for New Construction and Major Renovations rating system (LEED-NC), any future amendments thereto will be reviewed by the City before consideration is given to the adoption of such amendments. Doraville is a northern suburb of Atlanta and covers 3.6 square miles with almost 11,000 residents. The area typically has hot humid summers and mild, but occasiona..
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