Alameda Municipal Code § 13-19 Green Building Requirements for City Building Projects, Capital Improvement…

To promote economic and environmental health in the City, it is essential that the City itself, through the design, construction, operation and deconstruction of its own facilities and facilities it funds, provide leadership to both the private and public sectors incorporating green building practices. The most immediate and meaningful way to do this is to require the integration of green building in City and public-private partnerships buildings and landscapes.

(Ord. No. 2981 N.S. § 1)

As used in this section:

a. Covered project means (1) all new building or renovation projects that equal or exceed three million ($3,000,000.00) dollars in construction costs; and are either owned or occupied by a City department or agency or developed as a public-private partnership.

b. Green Building Compliance Official means the Building Official or designated staff person(s) authorized and responsible for implementing this section.

c. GreenPoint Rated means the most recent version of the residential green building rating program developed by Build It Green. City staff shall maintain the most recent version of the GreenPoint checklists and Residential Green Building Guidelines for New Home Construction, Remodeling, and Multifamily Building.

d. Initiated means at the time of application for a building permit.

e. LEED™ Rating System means the most recent version of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Green Building Rating United States Green Building Council. City staff shall maintain the most recent version of the LEED™ Rating System at all times.

f. LEED Accredited Professional means an individual who has passed the LEED™ accreditation exam administered by the US Green Building Council.

g. Public-private partnership means any project built on city-owned land, or constructed wholly or in part with public funds, or built as a project of the City, Community Improvement Commission, or Housing Authority.

h. Renovation means any change, addition, or modification to an existing building or structure, including, but not limited to, tenant improvements.

i. 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.

j. Traditional public works project means heavy construction projects such as pump stations, flood control improvements, roads, and bridges, as well as traffic lights, sidewalks, bike paths, bus stops, and associated infrastructure on City-owned and maintained property.

(Ord. No. 2981 N.S. § 1)

a. All covered projects initiated on or after the effective date of this section, shall meet either: a minimum LEED™ Certified rating and be so certified by the US Green Building Council or a minimum GreenPoint Rated score of fifty (50) and be so verified by Build It Green. All covered projects shall also have a LEED™-Accredited Professional or a Certified Green Building Professional as a principal member of the design team from the beginning of the project.

b. Covered projects are required to meet as many LEED credits, or GreenPoint Rated measures as practicable and are required to complete and submit the LEED or GreenPoint checklist as a way of documenting the green building practices that have been incorporated into the project.

c. The Building Official or his designee shall regularly review the project specifications used in bidding Capital Improvement Projects to include the best green building practices.

(Ord. No. 2981 N.S. § 1)

a. The Building Official shall, within six months of ordinance adoption, promulgate any rules and regulations necessary or appropriate to achieve compliance with the requirements of this section.

b. The rules and regulations promulgated by the Building Official under this section shall provide for at least the following:

1. The incorporation of the green building requirements into the appropriate design, construction, maintenance and development agreement documents prepared for the applicable covered projects.

2. The designation of an appropriate Green Building Compliance Official(s) who shall have the responsibility to administer and monitor compliance with the green building requirements set forth in this section and with any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, and to grant waivers or exemptions from the requirements of this section, and to report to the City Council regarding green building compliance on all covered projects and traditional public works projects.

(Ord. No. 2981 N.S. § 1)

Compliance with the provisions of this section may 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.

(Ord. No. 2981 N.S. § 1)