Chapter 16.13
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING AND INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY
Sections:
16.13.010 Intent.
The city hereby declares its intent to promote green building practices and low impact development in the design, construction and management of all city-owned capital facilities. The city also encourages the use of such building and development practices in private development in the city where appropriate. (Ord. 2995-07 § 1, 2007)
16.13.020 Definitions.
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
A. “Green building practices,” as defined by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED Program, are practices that conserve resources, use recycled content materials, maximize energy efficiency, and otherwise consider environmental, economic and social benefits in the design and construction of a building project.
B. “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” or “LEED” is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Other programs that may be developed in the future that provide equivalent standards for sustainable buildings are included in this definition.
C. “Life-cycle cost” represents the full costs including financing for designing, constructing and operating a facility based upon the useful life of the facility and its components.
D. “New construction” is any new building or structure.
E. “Remodel” is to add on to or alter the structure of an existing building or structure.
F. “Renovate” is to improve, repair, or upgrade the condition of a building or structure.
G. “U.S. Green Building Council” (USGBC) is an organization that serves as the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.
H. “Low impact development” (LID) is a stormwater management strategy that emphasizes conservation and use of existing natural site features integrated with distributed, small scale stormwater controls to closely mimic natural hydrologic patterns in developed settings. (Ord. 2995-07 § 2, 2007)
16.13.030 Policies.
A. City departments shall utilize LEED criteria to implement green building practices to the maximum extent practicable in the planning, design and construction of all new city capital improvement projects as set forth herein:
1. For new city building projects exceeding five thousand square feet, LEED silver certification shall be required unless the city council determines it is not practicable or appropriate considering such things as the type of structure (certain utility structures, etc.), available resources, construction costs and life-cycle costs. Projects qualifying for LEED certification shall be registered through the U.S. Green Building Council;
2. For new projects under five thousand square feet and for remodels and renovations where the scope of the project or type of structure limits the ability to achieve LEED silver certification, city departments shall incorporate cost-effective green building practices based on estimated life-cycle cost analysis and the limits of available funding.
B. The city shall implement green building practices to provide compliance with the requirements of this chapter, including but not limited to the following:
1. In evaluating the city’s overall sustainable building and infrastructure policy, the city’s LEED projects shall be included;
2. Departments affected by these policies are encouraged to budget for and attend sustainable building training and/or obtain LEED accreditation; and
3. The city shall consider, in consultant selection, LEED accreditation, experience and abilities related to sustainable building design and low impact development design, engineering and construction to provide compliance with the intent of this chapter.
C. The city shall encourage the use of LEED, green building practices and low impact development in private development projects through its land use regulations, building codes, and development standards. (Ord. 2995-07 § 3, 2007)