HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.2 Green Building CITY CLERK
File # ~--~~ I[~-t/, ti ~
AGEN DA STATEMENT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: March 2, 2004
SUBJECT: Public Hearing- An Ordinan~eof,the. City of Dublin Creating a
New chapter 5.61- Green Building Practices for City Projects.
Adding this new Chapter will allow for a uniform approach in using
Green Building practices for City Projects.
Report Prepared By: Joni L. Pattillo, Assistant City Manager
ATTACHMENTS: 1) Proposed Green Build.._ing Ordinance
2) City Council Agenda Statement without Attachments dated
February 17, 2004
RECOMMENDATION: 1) Open Public Hearing
2) Receive Staff Presentation
xf~ 3) Receive Public Testimony
4) Question Staff and _~..Pu~!ic
5) Close Public Hearing and Deliberate
i 6) Waive reading and introduce Ordinance adding
new Chapter 5.6 !, Green Building Practices to
the Dublin Municipal Code
7) Continue the item to the Mar~h! 6, 2004 City Council
meeting for second reading of Ordinance
FINANCIAL STATEMENT[ .............. It~ is possible that this Ordinance will result in increased costs ~br
certain capital improvement projects. The precise costs are
unknown. Itis .e.s~.3~tg~O.~gLCity projects requiring LEEDTM silver
certification under the proposed Ordinance could experience cost
increases of up to 2% of the total project cost and an additional
$20,000 to $40,000 for the LEEDTM application process. Another
potential outcome might be a need to adjust Development Fees
associated with Public Facilities to accommodate the estimated
increase of 2%. Howeve;i'green"i~uilding~'typi~Y'r~ii~''::'~n~ ~:
significant life cycle savings, often exceeding the initial investment
by as much as ten
COPIES TO: "
'- ITEM NO. ~
H/cc-forms/agdastmt. doc ~q ~/~
DESCRIPTION:
City Council directed Staff at the February 17, 2004 Ci.ty council meeting t0 bring back the proposed
Green Building Ordinance for its consideration. The proposed Ordinance contains 'the City Councils'
recommended changes which was to incorporate the LEEDTM Silver rating, or a City-approved equivalent
for all City building projects with the estimated cost of constrUction of' $3,000,000 or greater in value into
the proposed Ordinance.
GREEN BUILDING DESCRIPTION:
Green building is a whole systems-apprOach to the design, construction and operation of buildings 2 fr°m
the early stages of development (e.g. recycling C&D debris) through the final finishes of the building (e.g.
using sustainable products).
Conventional design and construction methods can produce buildings that negatively impact the
environment as well as the health and productivity of the building occupants. These buildings can be
expensive to operate and contribute to excessive resource and energy consumption, waste generation, and
pollution.
By contrast, green building provides a means for mitigating the undesirable environmental impacts of
conventibn~i bfi{'~dihg methodS. This is acd0mpl~'~h~d' by~ ~mplo~ng bikiisiki~"rli~/te~a'is
promote natUral resoUrce conservation, energy efficiency and good indoor air quality.
AlthoUgh sustainability is a global issue, building plans are approved and constructed' 10gally,
this level that cities may have the greatest imPact. The adoPtion of the proposed Green BUilding
savings "~6' ih~"~:~i~"t~xp ayers
enviro~ents for emploYees, ~d c0n~buting to increased conse~ation of natur~ resources.
COSTS ~D BENE~TS OF' G~EN"BUiLDi-N~G~
Fiscal Impact
attribut~, iq~}~i ~ ~iT]and'"~gineering design tim~ii'~-cess~ t0 integrate sustainibie
lower the cost.
Ad&esslngeaCh~0f these h&°rs ~a min~ze addki0~al ~apitai C0~tsj
· Idefiti~'~bJ~;~s t0 be'LEED'~:ce2ifiedat ~e ~}~blis~en~.,S.~[~ep[oj?c_t pu~ge~
· Use LEEDTM early in ~e desi~ process
· Tra~ project m~agers in LEEDTM m~agement skills. '
It is zmp0~ni t6 point out that the cost of ~een buildings Mil v~ si~ific'antIy dep'~nding on the Sp6cifi~
project goals. ~ile there me m~y si~fic~t benehfi'~ihm'dah-~'~dihde8
The City of Seattle found that after a 3-year implementation period, the incremental cost for meeting
(.,.... LEEDTM Silver dropped from 6% to 0..1% for small projects: and from 4% to none for large projects.
While building to LEEDTM standards mays'result in addi~i0ng!_~gg for initial design and construction,
LEED'm buildings are more economical than conventional b~.!dings (i.e.: non green) over thei~ lifetime.
Energy and water efficient buildings can reduce operating.costs significantly. Use can be cut to less than
half of a con~enti~naI bui!~g. Additionally, healthy indoor environments can increase employee
productivity and reduce absenteeism.
The State report foUnd that the 20-year Net'Preserit Value 0f the~!ifercYCle savings in energy, emissions,
water, waste, and commissioning for a LEEDTM Certified or Silver Building averaged $15.98/sf, while the
20-year Net Present Value for improved productivity and health is $36.89/sf.
The report concluded that a minimal upfi:ont investment of about 2% of construction costs typically yields
life cycle savings of over ten times'the inifi~ investment. A [~nt.~.~ ~.~,.t~..~..w~.~:..~?~,~,~I
supports ~he rep0rl's findings.
.... Other Costs/Benefits
In addition to potential project cost increases, other important green building considerations include the
possibility of limited product availability and material selection and longer project completion schedules.
The prO'duet market for green building materials, including recycled content products, while stiI1
somewhat' limited, has improved dramatically over the past several years. It is anticipated that the marker
will continue to mature as more oi'ganizations adopt green building policies, resulting in even greater
choices for green building products. It is also important to note that LEEDTM is flexible and allows for
many options regarding which green building elements to incorporate in a given.project. LEEDTM is based
on a point system, so if it becomes apparent that a specific product is unavailable, points could be earned
by "greening" other areas of the project.
Tree green building takes a holistic approach to a building and requires involvement from si~e planning
and conceptual design through construction. If a project is identified as a green building fi:om the start, it
is more likely that the project would be completed in the same amount of ti~ ~a~9~,pg~x~e~fi~p~l project.
However, project delays can be more likely and more significant if the project is changed midway through
design for example. Project components such as site o~entatigg, daylighting, Heating, Ventilations and
Air Conditioning (HVAC), windows etc. are integral components to desi~ning an efficient building. If one
of these elemen[s ~is changed, it could create the need for a major redesign because of how the components
are interrelated. Green building will require more discussion and goal setting at budget development stage
of the project in order minimize changes after the conceptual design has been approved.
While not as easily measurable as the life cycle savings, other green building benefits should be
considered includ~g environmental (conserving of energy, water and other natural resources; improving
air and water quality and a reducing of solid waste) and community benefits (minimizing strain on local
infrastructure, strengthening established goals related to increase density, mixed use and tra~.~.~it-9_~n~d~
development, improving stormwater and erosion covWol, increasing bicycle and pedestrian access and
('~ contributing to community health, vitality anii aesth'~ii~i}-
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE: ..........
Staff has developed an Ordinance (Attachment 1) that defines .:~,.d sets thresholds for incorporating green
· building practices in civic projects. The key elements df'DUblin s proposed civic'Green BUilding
OrdinafiS~:~§ follows:
The .~Qr.d~n~c~e .~B!y covers city sponsored projects, defined as any new construction or renovation
primarily funded or sponsored by the City, cond,,u, cted on Cit~o__~,,e,d prop,e,n? or managed by City
personnel from deSign through construction. City Project or Project shall also include any
Buildings constructed for the City's use under a buildlt0'suit program or project.
·: -All C~ building projects w~th the estimated cost of construction of $3,000,000 er greater in'vaiue ....
Ordinance, or a City-approved equivalent.
'Green Buil~hg CO~ciL
· Traditiohai Public works and' p'~ks prOj;;~'$; proje~f~.'~iffi.:i~.;~ff~t~d.6~6~s~::~.f-~ofi'~'il.;~. ~...~::-:-'.~ -~
. $3,-000,060 .~[ less shall n0t'be ~eqUired t0 aCheve a LEED~'raf~g~
· ~ wi~in,~;i¢;,(i}'~'~& ~heeffective date of~s 0din~;¢,'"h~ G~eenBfiilding ~c0mh~e
a~esfi~-~d~}"hede~s~ d} ~abpmpfiate t0 ac~eve dompilance With th~ Green BUilding
Stuff [g; receive co~ents
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN
AMENDING TIlE MUNICIPAL CODE BY ADDING A NEW CI-IAPTER
5.61 MANDATING GREEN BUILDING ?RiCTICES FOR CITY
PROJECTS
The City Council of the City of Dublin does hereby ordain as follows:
SECTION I: ENACTMENT
The Municipal Code is hereby amended by adding Chapter 5.61, which shall read as
follows:
CHAPTER 5.61 GREEN BUILDING PRACTICES FOR CITY PROJECTS
Section 1. FINDINGS
The City Council of the City of Dublin hereby finds and declares that:
A. The design, construction, maintenance, and demolition of buildings and structures
within the City can have a significant impact on the City's environmental sustainability, resource
usage and efficiency, waste management, and the health and productivity of residents, workers,
and visitors.
B. "Green" building design, construction, and operation can have a significant
positive effect on energy and resource efficiency, waste and pollution generation, and the health
and productivity of a building's occupants over the life of the building.
C. Green building benefits are spread throughout the systems and features of the
building. Building "green" can include, among other things, the use of certified sustainable
wood products; aggressive use of high recycled content products; recycling of waste that occurs
during deconstmction, demolition, and construction; enhancement of indoor air quahty by
selection and use of construction materials that do not have chemical emissions that are toxic or
irritating to building occupants; modification of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning
systems to provide energy efficiency and improved indoor air;. use of water conserving methods
and equipment; and installation of alternative energy methods for supplemental energy
production.
D. The U.S. Green Building Council, developer of the Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEEDTM) Commercial Green Building Rating System and LEEDTM
Reference Guide, has become a leader in promoting and guiding green building.
E. Requiring certain City projects to incorporate LEEDTM green building measures is
necessary and appropriate to achieve the benefits of green building.
ATTACHMENT
F. Green design, construction, and operation decisions made by the City in the
construction and remodeling of City buildings result in environmental benefits and cost savings
to the City over the life of the buildings. By calling on the City to include green building
measures in its own facilities, the City Council provides taxpayers a benefit through
environmentally friendly, cheaper to operate buildings and simultaneously helps to develop
markets for recycled, recyclable, and environmentally sound materials.
G. It is critical to both the economic and environmental health of the City that the
City provides leadership to both the private and Public sectors in the arena of energy efficiency
and "green" construction. The most immediate and meaningfui way to do this is to include
energy efficiency and green building elements in as many public buildings as feasible.
H. It is in the public interest to address the appropriateness of mandating green
building requirements for private projects separately from, and subsequent to, applying such
requirements to City Projects. Accordingly, Unless and until the City Council determines
'otherwise, the provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to private sector development.
Section 2. DEFINITIONS
A. "Green Building Practices" means a whole-systems approach to the design,
construction, and operation of Buildings and Structures that helps mitigate the environmental,
economic, and social impacts of construction, demolition, and renovation. Green Building
Practices such as those described in the LEEDTM Rating System, recognize the relationship
between natural and built environments and seek to minimize the use of energy, water, and other
natural resources and provide a healthy, productive environment.
B. "Building" means any Structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any
use or occupancy as defined in the Dublin Building Code.
C. "Structure" means that which is built or constructed, an edifice or building of any
kind or any piece of work artificially built or composed of parts joined together in some definite
manner and permanently attached to the ground.
D. "City Project" or "Project" means new Construction or Renovation primarily
funded or sponsored by the City, conducted on City-owned property, or managed by City
personnel from design through construction. "City ProjeCt'' or "Project" shall also include any
Buildings constrUcted for the City's use under a build-to-suit program or project. Traditional
Public Works Projects and Parks Projects are not considered "City Projects" for the purpose of
this Chapter.
E. "Construction" means the building of any Building or Structure or any portion
thereof.
F. "Renovation" means: (1) a structural change to the foundation, roof, floor, or
exterior of load-beating wails of a facility, or the extension of an existing facility to increase its
floor area; or (2) alteration of an existing facility, such as to sigrdficantly change its function,
even if such renovation does not include any structural change to the facility.
G. "Initiated" means officially identified and fully funded to offset all the costs
associated with the project as found on the City Capital Improvement Plan.
H. "Conditioned Space" means an enclosed space in a building that is provided with
a mechanical heating/cooling system as defined in the Dublin Building Code.
I. "Estimated Cost of Construction" means the total projected cost of completing a
proposed Project, .including fees, design, construction and land.
J. "LEED Accredited Professionalm'' means an experienced building industry
practitioner who has demonstrated his/her knowledge of integrated design and his/her capacity to
facilitate the LEEDTM certification process on the LEEDTM Professional Accreditation exam. The
exam, administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, tests an individual's understanding of
green building practices and principles, and familiarity with LEEDTM requirements, resources,
and processes.
K. "LEED Rating Systemm'' means the most recent version of the Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED?~ Commercial Green Building Rating SystemTM, or
other related LEEDTM Rating System, approved by the U.S. Green Building Council, as
applicable to the Project.
L. "Traditional Public Works Projects" means heavy construction projects, such as
pump stations, flood control improvements, roads, bridges, as well as traffic lights, sidewalks,
bike paths and associated infrastructure on City-owned and maintained property.
M. "Parks and Recreation Projects" means landscape construction projects, such as
sports facilities, play grounds, trails, as well as sports lighting, parking, restrooms and associated
infrastructure on City-owned and maintained property.
N. "The Green Building Compliance Official" means the person who is authorized
and responsible for enforcing this Chapter for any given City project, as designated by the City
Manager.
Section 3. MANDATORY GREEN BUILDING PR~ CTIC~ES
A. City Projects: All City Projects initiated on or after ., with the Estimated Cost
of Construction of $3,000,000 or greater, shall meet:
"Silver" rating under the LEEDTM Rating System, or a City-approved equivalent.
All projects following the LEED rating system shall be registered and certified by the
U.S. Green Building Council. The Green Building Compliance Official or his/her designee shall
undertake such registration and application for certification.
B. All City Projects initiated on or after , with the Estimated Cost of
Construction of $3,000,000 or less shall be designed and constructed using as many green
practices as appropriate to the project as specified in the Operational Guidelines. These Projects
shall not be required to be registered and certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The
Green 'Building Compliance Official or his/her designee shall be responsible for verifying the
appropriate green building components.
C. Traditional Public, Works and Parks Projects: The Green Building Compliance Official
shall promptly undertake research to identify suitable mechanisms for applying Green Building
Practices to Traditional Public Works and Parks and Recreation Projects. Within twelve (12)
months of the effective date of this ordinance, the Green Building Compliance Official shall
submit proposed Operational Guidelines to the City Council requiring the application of
appropriate Green Building Practices to Traditional Public Works and Parks and Recreation
Projects.
-D. ExemptionS-: If a City Project has unique circumstances that. make compliance with
this Chapter infeasible, the Green Building Compliance Official may grant an exemption as set
forth in the OPerational Guidelines.
Section 4. STANDARDS FOR COMPLIANCE
A. The Green Building Compliance Official shall be responsible for:the development and
maintenance Of Operational 'Guidelines, which contain speeffications necessary ~5i' appropriate to
achieve compliance with the Green Building Practices stated in this Chapter. The Operational
Guidelines shall be proposed [or promulgated] after securing and reviewing comments from
affected City Departments.
B. The Operational Guidelines proposed [or promulgated] by the Green Building
Compliance Official under this section shall provide for at least the following:
1. Criteria to escalate or lower the $3,000,000 threshold contained in this
Chapter;
2. The incorporation of the Green Building Practices of this Chapter into the
appropriate design and construction contract documents prepared for the
applicable City Projects and Traditional Public Works and Parks Projects;
3. Guidehnes specifying how contractor bids or responses to Requests for
Proposals must indicate plans for meeting all applicable LEEDTM or Traditional
Public Works and Parks and Recreation Green Building criteria required under
this Chapter. All projects following the LEED rating system shall be required to
have a LEEDTM Accredited Professional on the Project team;
4. Guidelines specifying how green and sustainable practices and products
will be incorporated in the operation and' maintenance of City projects;
5. Guidelines specifying how the Green Building Compliance Official' will
administer and monitor compliance with the Green Building Practices set forth in
this Chapter and with any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, andmake
recommendations to the City Council concerning the granting of waivers or
exemptions from the requirements of this Chapter, including Certification of City
ProjectS;-
4
Section 5. UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES
ComplianCe With the prov~i~ms o£ ~his'' ch~tPt~r'-ift~/y be waived in unusual circumstances
where the City Council has, by resolution, found and determined that the public interest would
not be served by complying with such provisions.
SECTION II: SEVERABILITY
If any chapter, section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of
this Ordinance, or any part thereof, is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, invalid, or
ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity or
effectiveness of the remaining portions of this Ordinance or any part thereof. The City Council
hereby declares that it would have passed each chapter, section, subsection, subctivision,
paragraph, sentence, clause, and phrase of this Ordinance irrespective of the fact that one or more
chapters, sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses, or phrases be
declared unconstitutional, invalid, or effective. To this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are
declared to be severable.
SECTION m: EFFECTWE DATE
This ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days from and after the date of
passage. The City Clerk of the city of Dublin shall cause the Ordinance to be posted in at least
three (3) public places in the City of Dublin in accordance with Section 36933 of the
Government Code of the State of Califomia.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Dublin, on this
day of ,2004, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
'- CITY CLEiRK
File # L¢Ii
AGENDA STATEMENT ~ ~ ~'~
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: FebruarY 17, 2004
SUBJECT: Civic Green Building Ordinance
Report .Prepared By: doni Pattilto, AssiStant City Manager
ATTACHMENTS: 1) LEED: Good.for Business, Good for the Environment
2) LEEDTM Rating System
3) State Study: Costs & Benefits of Crreen Building, Executive
Summary
4) Seattle Project Cost Graph
5) Wall Street Journal: Green,Buildir~g Benefits Outstrip Extra
Costs
6) Comparison of Green Building Ordinances in the Bay ~rea
7') Proposed City of Dublin Green Building Ordinance
RECOMMENDATIO.N: ~ 1) Provide comments and direction to Sta.ffregarding the
~ proposed Green Building Ordinance with specific dire~tion
regarding the desired level of LEEDTM certificatiOn.
2) Direct Staff to make the appropriate modifications to ~e
Ordinance, if any, and present the Ordinance for its fir~'
reading at the next Council Meeting.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: It is possible that this Ordinance will .result in increased c~sts, for
certain capital impzovement projects. The precise costs are unknown and will partially depend ion the
desired level of certification selected by the City Council. It is estimated that City projects re.quiring
LEEDTM silver certification under the proposed Ordinance could experience cost increases of up to12% of
the total project cost and an additional $20,000 to $40,000 for the LEEDTM application process. A~nother
potential outcome might be a need to adjust Development Fees associated with Public Facilities to.
accommodate the estimated increase of 2%..However, green buildings typically result in signific~mt life
cycle savings, often exceeding the initial investment by as much as ten times.
DESCRIPTION:
As part of its 2003-200g Goals and ObjecUves, the City Council directed Staffto prepare a green b~.Idmg
ordinance. This report provides a description and analysis of green building as well as a comprehe~ive
account of the development and key components of the City's proposed green building Ordinance.
COPIES TO:
ATTACHMENT 2
lt/cc-forms/agdasLmt, doc
GREEN BUILDING DESCRIPTION:
Green building is a whole systems approach to the design, Construction and operation of buildings -~rom
the early stages of development (e.g. recycling C&D debris) through the final finishes of the build/n~ ('e.g.
using sustainable products).
Conventional design and construction methods can produce buildings that negatively impact the
environment as well as the health and productivity of the building occupants. These buildings can be
expensive to operate and contribute to excessive resource and energy consumption, waste generation,, and
pollution.
'By contrast, green building provides a means for mitigating the undesirable environmental impacts oil
conventional building methods. This is accomPlished by employing building materials and method~; that
promote natural resource conservation, energy efficiency and good indoor air quality.
Although sustainability is a global issue, building plans are approved and constructed locally, and it is at
this level that cities may have the greatest impact. The adoption of the proposed Green Building
Ordinance will formalize the City of Dublin's green building practiceS.and ~efme a .process for,
construction and op~ation of certain city buildings. In addition, adop.tion of the Or. '.di~. ce. ~ mr~e,r
demonstrate the city s commitment to environmental, economic, and social stewardship, y~eimng cost
savings to the City taxpayers through reduced operating costs for City facilities, providing healthier Work
environments for employees, and contributing to increased conservation of natural resources.
U.S. Green Building Council and LEEDTM '
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) is a national nonprofit organization that was rearmed
/,~..in 1993. Its growing membership includes representation from orgamzations acro. ss the b. mldin,g in.~ ,ustry,
including architecture and engineering firms, bmtders, manufacturers, government agenmes, rem estate
developers, universities, and others. USGBC develops industry standards, design practices and greeh
building education. It is the developer and admlni~qtrator of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEEDT~ Green Building Rating System. A;~escription of the LEEDTM rating system is included
in the article LEED: Good for Business, Good for the Environment (Attachment 1). The complete
LEEDTM rating system is aisc included as Attachment 2.
LEEDTM was developed to define "green building" by providing a standard for measurement. The
LEEDTM Rating System dc£mes "green building" as a building that is designed to minimize envirorr~ental'
impacts in the following ways:
1. Sustainable.Sites - i.e. building with access to mass tr_amit and reducing stormwater mn~off
2. Water Efficiency - i.e. water efficient landscaping
3. Energy and Atmosphere - i.e. reducing energy consumption in the buildings
42 Materials and Resources - i.e. designing for the storage and collection ofrecyclables and
construction and d~notifion waste management
5. Indoor Environmental Quality- i.e. reducing the quantity of indoor air contaminants, such as
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), and increasing daylighting in the buildings
LEEDTM uses existing, proven technolo~es to guide commercial, public and institutional buildings. ! It is
now the most widely used green building rating system nationally. Many jurisdictions including Alameda
County, Berkeley, Pleasauton, San Jose, San Francisco, San Marco County, Santa Monied, Portlanc[ and
f"~. Seattle have developed their green building.programs using LEEDTM as a standard or guide.
Several projects in Alameda County, including: the Alameda County Hail of Justice and the Alame~,
County Juvenile Detention'Cenler, Pleasanton Fire Station, Berkeley Fire Station, and two Universit~ of
California Studc~nt Housing projects, are being designed using LEEDTM as a standard. LEEDTM is
performance-based, with four levels of certification (Cert/fied, Silver, Gold and Platinum). Certification
is solely performed by USGBC. [
COSTS AND BENEFITS OF GREEN BUILDING:
Fiscal Impact
The State of California recently released the most comprehensive analysis of the financial costs and
benefits of green building titled The Costs and Benefits of Green Building (October 2003) (Attachm, ~nt 3).
The study reported that the average add/tional cost for substantial green building design was slightl . less
than 2% (of the building's total design and construction cost), which translates to approximately $3-'5/sf.
This conclusion was made after a survey of 33 LEEDTM buildings. The majority of the additional cc st is
attributed to the increased architectural and engineering design time necessary to integrate sustainable
building methods into projects. The earlier green building gets incorporated into the design process, the
lower the cost.
Addressing each of these factors can minimize additional capital costs:
Identify projects to be LEEDTM certified at the establishment of thc project budget
Include LEEDTM requirements in RFQs and KFPs
Use LEEDTM early in the design process
· TraS~ project managers in LEEDTM managemgnt skills.
·
It is important to point out that the cost of green buildings will vary significantly depgnding on the specific
project goals. While there are many significant benefits that can be included in a. project at no additional
cost (orientation, low VOC paints, recycled content carpet, etc.), some features will cost more. Estimates
for additional initial costs are as low as 0 to 2%...A'LEEDTM Study conducted for the City of Portland
indicated that green building impact on the budget is small - from 2.2% extra cost to 0.3% savings.
The City of Seattle found that after a 3-year implementation period, the incremental cost for meeting
LE~.DTM Silver dropped from 6% to 0.I% for small projects and from 4% to none for large projects!
(Attachment 4).
While building to LEEDTM standards may result in additional funding for initial design and constru0tion,
LEEDTM buildings are more economical than conventional buildings (i.e.: non green) over their lifetime.
Energy and water efficient buildings can reduce operating costs significantly. Use can be cut to lessi than
half of a conventional buildSng. Additionally, healthy indoor environments can increase employee
productivity and reduce absenteeism.
The State report found that the 20-year Net Present Value oft. he life-cycle savings in energy, emissi ns,
water, waste, and commissioning for a LEEDTM Certified or Silver Building averaged $15.98/sf, while the
20-year Net Present Value for improved productivity and health is $36.89/s£. . .
The report concluded that a minimal upfront investment of about 2% of consU'ucfion costs typ~callylsaelds
life cyete savings o£over ten times the initial investment. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal
supports the report's findings (Attachment 5).
Other Costs/Benefits~ ~ '
In addition to potential Project cost increases, other important green building considerations inclu~de the
possibility of limited product availabilit~ and material selection.and longer project comPletion sched~utes.
The product mm:ket for green building materials, inClUding recycled con~ent Products, whi still
~somewhat limited, has improved dramatically over the past several years. It is anticipated that the market
Will continue to mature as more org.a?zations, adopt green bull _diin. g poli¢iers~s, resulting in even ;renter
choices for green building products. It as also nnportant to note that LEED is fleXible and alia ~,s for
many options regard/ng which green building elements to incorporate in a given project. LEEDTM i,, based
on a point system, so if it becomes apparent that a specific product is unavailable, po/nts could be earned
by"greening~' other areas of the project.
Tme green building takes a holisfic approach to a building and requires involvement from site pl tuning
and eoneeptuaI design through construction. If a project is identified as a green building from the .tart, it
is more likely that the project would be completed in the same amount of time a~ ~c0n~eati~nal'.[ reject.
However, project delays can be more likely and more significant if the project is changed midway 1/a:ough
design for example. Project components such as site orientation, dayhghting, Heating, Vcntitatio ~s and
Air Conditioniug (I-IVAc), windows etc. are integral components to desigrdng an efficient building.i If one
· of these elements is changed, it could create the need for a major redesign because of how the corn >Onents
are interrelated.. Green building will require more discussion and goal setting at budget development stage
of the project in order minimize changes after the conceptual design has been. approved.
While not'as easily measurable as the life cycle savings, other green building benefits sholdd be
considered including envir~mentai (conserving of energy, water and other natural .resources; improving
ak and"water quality and a reducing of solid waste) and commuu~ty benefits (minimizing strain o¢'local
infrastmcUtre, strengthening established goals' related to increase density, mixed use and transit-o~ented
f~: development, improving stormwater and erosion control; increasing bicycle and pedestrian acce? and
~" contributing to Community health, vitality and aesthetics).
ACCOMPLISI:I/VIENTS AND PROCESS: '
The following section Provides a briefhistory'0fthe City's efforts related to green building includin, the
steps leading to the development of the proposed green building Ordinance.
ConstrUction and Demolition Ordinance
On February 15, 2000, the Dublin City Council adoPted a Construction and Demolition Ordina~, the
first of its kind .in Alameda County, which was based on a model developed by the Alameda :County
Waste Management Authority (ACWMA). The purpose of the Ordinance is to require maximum t~as~le
recycling at new construction sites, and salvage, and deconstrucdon for remodel/rig and dem,'olition
projects. . e
The city, s ordinance has been used as a model for other jurisdictions throughout the State and islon of
the few that includes.a .performance security requirement. The Orrtinance has been ex'~a-. ~ ~m~.ely successful
and has had a dramatic impact on the City'S diversion' rate. In 1999, the City had a diversion rate C f 33%.
Thanks in large part to the success of the Ordinance; the City's diversion rate for 2001 .was 50%.
Fire Stations 17 and 18 Construction Grant Award. for Utilizing Green'Bttilding Practices
"The City of Dublin Was awarded '$10O,000 by the' ACWMA that was equally divided for the c°nstn~ otion
of the two fire stations to incorporate green building materials and practices.
Senior Housing Grant Award .~ . Ir(.,)_ ~.,~ ~.~.
The City of Dablin and Bden Housing, the developer of the City of Dublin's Affordable ~emor l-lou$~ng
project, were selected through a competitive process to participate in the Multi-Family Affordable
Housing Green Building Design Assistance Program from ACWMA. A $5,000 grant was awarded~o
help subsidize Eden Housing's participation in the development of Multi-Family Green Building
Guidelines.
City of Dublin's Housing Element
Included in the City's State-approved Housing Element of the General Plan is a policy on the promo~on
of energy efficiency in new projects. The elements that support this policy are:
Continue to implement the City's Construction and Demolition Recycling Ordinancei
Continue to provide on-site training for' City Building and Planning Staff on
'13uilding techniques.
ContinUe to review proposed developments for solar access, site design techniques, and use
of landscaping that can increase energy efficiency and reduce lifetime energy costs .without
significantly increasing housing productions costs.
- Provide access to infomation on energy conservation and financial incentives (tax icredit,
utihty rebates, etc.) through public information to be provided at the City's public cbunter,
on the City's Web site, at public libraries and community centers.
Training and EducationaI Opportunities
- · ..The City, in cooperation with the'ACWMA, has coordinated several green building workshops to e~:lucate
Staff and developers on Green Building practices. The workshops have included a recent Tri-¥alley
Builders workshop on Green Building Initiatives and a Tri-Valley Building Inspectors Workshop on
inspecting Green Points. Additionally, several Stuff members have attended the LEEDTM t~aining
program.
Green Building [Fork Group
The process of developing a green building ordinance began with the formation of a green building work
group comprised of Staff members fi:om Community. Development, Public Works, Parks and Commuuity
Services, and the City Manager's Office as well as Staff and consultants from the ACWiViA. Th{ group
began by reviewing several green building ordinances fi:om Bay area jurisdictions including the 2ity of
Pleasanton and Alameda County and the ACWMA Civic Green Building Model Ordinance. A matrix
comparing the various ordinances is included as Attachment.6. .
PROPOSED CIVIC GREEN BUILDING ORDINANCE: ·
8taffhas developed an Ordinance (Attachment 7)that defines and sets thresholds for ine0rporating ~reen
building practices in civic projects. The key elements of Dublin's proposed Civic Green Building
Ordinance are as follows:
The OrdinanCe only covers city sponsored proj cots, defined as any new construction or rent,ration
primarily funded or sponsored by the City, conducted on City-owned property, or managed 1Jy citY
personnel fi:om design through consWaction. "CitY Project" or '*Project" shall also include any
Buildings constructed for the City's use under a build-to-suit program or project.
· An city bundins rrojects wit the' °ns etion of S3,000,O00 or geat r iq
shall be desired to meet a desisted ~m~ LEEDx~ rang ~ specified ~n ~e Or~n~ce, or
a C~W-approved eq~valent. St~fh~ included ~ee options for~e Co.oil to ~nsider: ! ~ ~
~DTM "C~ifiod" '
LEEDTn "SIN&'
LEED~ "Ceffified", ~d s~ve for LEED~ "Silver"
, All proj~ts follo~g ~e LEED~M rang system shall be m~st~ed ~d ceaified by ~e U.S
~een B~ld~g Co~cil.
. Tr~ifion~ public works ~d p~ks projects or pro~ects M~ ~e.es~ated cost of con~cti? of
$3,000,000 or less shall not be mq~ed m acheve a'LEEDTM rating.
, Wi~n ~elve (I2) mon~s of~e effective ~te oft~s or~n~ge, ~e ~e~ B~ld~g Comp~ce
OfficiM s~l submit proposed OpemfionM G~del~es to ~e Ci~ Co~eil tenting
specificafiom necess~ or appropfi~e to ae~eve complete M~ ~e ~em B~l~g Practices
~ated in ~is ~apter.
DIS~SSION OF ~Y ELE~NTS
expiation of ~e work ~oup's discussiom ~d dec,ions related to ~e key eomponenm ~of ~e
Or~n~ee is prohded below.
Building types.
· The work group quickly realized that there were two separate elements of a green building program: civic
buildings and private development. The work group concluded that it should first focus on developing au
ordinance that would apply to civic buildings such as upcoming Em~d Glen Park Recreation Center.
Once completed, the City could investigate options for private development. One of the most eomi~elling
reasons for developing au ordinance limited to civic buildings, was the idea that the City should "lead by
example." If the City is ever to' require developers ';o incorporate green building practices ig their
developments, the work group felt thru it was important that the City first impose a similar, if not more
aggressive requirement on itself.
Additionally, the ACWMA Model Ordinance was developed for civic buildings and it was agreed that the
model Ordinance would be used as a starting point for developing the City's Ordinance. The ACWM. A
also.has a design assistance and grant program in place to assist member agencies in implementin green
building practices and incorporating sustainable products into public facilities.
ZEED ~r~ Certification Rating
The proposed Ordinance is based on LEEDT~ because Staff believes the natig.nally recognized L]~,ED
rating system to be the most comprehensive rating system available and it is the standard used other
jurisdictions in the Bay Area. The proposed Ordinance includes three options for the Council to c~nsider
regarding the level of LEED~ certification that wilt be required for City projects. .
LEED'n'¢ is a design rating system with 69 possible points. For'classification as a LEEDa'~ bdigldin,
buildings must satisfy seven prerequisites and a minimum number of points for the desired. l~vel of
certification. Four levels of green building certification are awarded based on the total number }credits
earned in each of six categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Mhterials
and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation and Design Process. To achieve a
"Certified" rating, projects must meet all of the prerequisites and earn a minimum of 26 point5,!with a
minimum of 33 required for "Silver'', 39 for "gold" and 52 for "platinum".
'Thc comparison of ordinances, matrix indicat~ ~e requirements £or various jurisdictions.
jUrisdictions require'either a certified or silver rating. Staff believes that a certified rating coflld be
achieved with a few modifications to existing, procedures such as. hii/ng': an architect that is LEEDTM
certified. Several of the citY;S recent projects, while not measured or certified.using the LEEDTM
standard, would most likely have come close to achieving a certified rating.
In order to ach/eve, a silver rating, more effort would need to be devoted tothe project during the ~esign
phase and more green building elements would need to be included. Many of the points/n thel rating
system can be earned at little or no cost. However the more points that are required, the more lik~ty that
the green building components esso/isled with the those..incremental points will add to the cost i of the
project. It is impossible to predict .the exact fiscal impact of achieving a certain LEEDTM rating, hqwever
studies cited previously ~ the Staff report indicate that a silver rating ~ould be achieved with less ithan a
2% cost increase.
The proposed Ordinance includes three LBEDTM certification, options for the Council to eohsider:
Certified; SilX~er; or minimum certified and strive for silver. Staff requests direction from th.e £ ouncfl
regarding the desired IeveI of certification required for City projects.
Threshold
The LEEDTM rating' system was developed and is intended for large new. construction and major
renovation projecm. With this Understanding, Staff completed a thorough analysis of the City's Capital
Improvement Program in order to determine the minimum threshold that shouk!, be .met in order to/:equire
LEEDTM certification. Staff wauted to establish a threshold that would capture all of the major City
projects that would be appropriate to require a LEEDTM certification- The analysis revealed that a
threshold of $3 million would accomplish this goal. The proposed Ordinance states that al1 City projects
with the estimated cost of construction of $3 million or greater in value shall be designed to meet a
designate6 minimum LEEDTM rating. The current projects that would require LI~.EDTM certificafior[ under
the proposed Ordinance include the following:
o Emerald Glen Park Aquatic Center
Emerald Glen Park Recreation Center
Emerald Glen Park Community Center
· Community Theater
There are many City projects with an estimated construction cost of less than $3 million, however none
would be appropriate for T,I~.EDTM certification due to the nature and size of the projects. Addi~onally,
there are many park and street projects that are over
certification under the proposed Ordinance because they do not fit in the Ordinance's defin/fion of
construction and would not be appropriate for LEEDTM.
Operational Green Building Practice Guidelines
All City proj eels not. required to achieve LEEDTM certification, whether due to the value threshold o~r the
nature of the project will be required to incorporate Green Building Practices in the project. Upon
adoption of the Ordinance, Staffwill work to develop an Operational Green Bu/lding Practice Guid,qines
that will specify appropriate green building practices for all City projects that do not qualify for LEI ~DTM
certification.
Additionally, The Operational Green Building Pra~tte:~ Gi~delincs wi11 include important lmpleme~ataUon
assistance for Staff regarding items such as the development of criteria to escalate or lower the $3 rhillion
dollar threshold, appropriate language~ for projects specifications and request for qualifications, and how
the Green Building Compliance Official will administer and monitor compliance with the Ordinance. The
Ordinance requires the Guidelines to be developed within twelve months of adoption of the Ordinance.
NEXT STEPS
Once the work related to civic projects is completed, the recommended next steps if the Council des[res
- have the Green Building Program to be expanded to included private development it should identifyl this
au item for consideration during.the upcoming Goals and Objectives Process.
m COMM A O : [
Staff recommends that- the City Council review the proposed Ordinance and attached docments
ents to Staffwith s ecific directions regarding the' desired level o£LEEDTM eertificatibn. It
provide corem P . ' . ..........
is recommended that the Council then direct Staff to make the appropriate moomcauons to me crramance
for presentation and first reading at the next City Council Meeting.