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Various LEED initiatives including legislation, executive orders, resolutions, ordinances, policies, and incentives are found in 44 states, including 186 localities (122 cities, 34 counties, and 30 towns), 31 state governments, 12 federal agencies or departments, 15 public school jurisdictions and 39 institutions of higher education across the United States.
Please keep us up to date: publicpolicies@usgbc.org
See www.usgbc.org/GOVERNMENT for the most current list.
Quick jump to: Federal Initiatives - State Initiatives - Municipal/City/County Initiatives - School Initiatives - Higher Education - School Initiatives - K-12
NEW ADDITIONS
Riverside County, CA:
On February 10, 2009, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors adopted Policy H-29, requiring all new County buildings exceeding 5,000 sq ft to achieve LEED certification.
http://www.clerkoftheboard.co.riverside.ca.us/agendas/2009/02_10_09/03.01.pdf (scroll down to page 3)
Contact:
Rockland County, NY:
On November 6, 2008, the Rockland County Legislature adopted Local Law 14, requiring all new major facility projects to achieve LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Deltona, FL:
On January 10, 2009, the Deltona City Council adopted Ordinance 42-2008, requiring all new and remodeled residential buildings to follow the guidelines of LEED for Homes or the current Green Home Designation Standard of the Florida Green Building Council. It also requires all new and renovated municipal and institutional buildings to follow the guidelines of LEED for New Construction or the current Green Commercial Designation Standard of the Florida Green Building Council. Projects that register intent to complete certification with either standard are eligible for expedited permitting and reduced permitting fees.
http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=5422 (scroll down to page 2)
Contact:
Gilroy, CA:
On February 2, 2009, the Gilroy City Council adopted Resolution 2009-02, requiring all new city facilities or renovations of city facilities of 5,000 sq ft or more be constructed or renovated to achieve LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Golden, CO:
On December 4, 2008, the Golden City Council adopted Resolution 1937, requiring all new municipal buildings exceeding 5,000 sq ft to achieve LEED Silver certification.
http://www.cityofgolden.net/files/120408packet.pdf (scroll down to page 172)
Contact:
Napa, CA:
On December 2, 2008, the Napa City Council adopted a Green Building Ordinance, requiring all new, non-residential buildings, including municipal projects, exceeding 30,000 sq ft to follow the LEED for New Construction or LEED for Core and Shell checklist.
http://www.cityofnapa.org/images/cityclerk/Granicus/2008/Dec2/16a_dec02_2008.pdf (scroll down to page 7)
Contact:
Richmond, VA:
On January 12, 2009, the Richmond City Council adopted Resolution 2008-R152-2009-14, requiring that all new construction and major renovations of municipal buildings exceeding 10,000 gross sq ft will achieve LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Solana Beach, CA:
On December 10, 2008, the Solana Beach City Council adopted Resolution 2008-138, requiring all new municipal buildings to achieve at minimum LEED Silver certification and requiring all commercial projects to follow the LEED checklist.
http://solanabeach.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=640&meta_id=70881 (scroll down to page 17)
Contact:
Yorkville, IL:
On December 9, 2008, the Yorkville City Council adopted Resolution 2008-47, requiring all new municipal buildings of 5,000 sq ft or more and all municipal building renovations of 1,000 sq ft or more to achieve LEED Certification.
Contact:
Stephanie Boettcher, Senior Planner; sboettcher@yorkville.il.us
FEDERAL INITIATIVES [top]
Department of Agriculture:
On June 19, 2006, the Department of Agriculture issued an agency-wide building policy that requires new or major renovation construction of covered facilities to achieve LEED Silver certification.
http://www.ocio.usda.gov/directives/doc/DR5500-001.pdf
Department of Agriculture- Forest Service:
U.S. Forest Service requires LEED registration and certification at the Silver level for all new construction of office buildings, visitor centers, research facilities, and climate controlled warehouses 2,500 GSF or greater in size.
Contact:
Bill Hamele, PE, Forest Service Engineering; (703) 605-4522; whamele@fs.fed.us
Department of Energy:
On February 29, 2008, Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman issued a memorandum to DOE leadership directing heads of departments to adhere to Executive Order 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy and Transportation Management (72 FR 3919; Jan. 24, 2007)” by building all new Department buildings of $5M or greater to earn LEED Gold certification. The memorandum also gives preference to LEED Gold when selecting new leased space.
The Department of Energy also provided necessary support for the original development of the LEED Rating System, training workshops, and reference materials.
DOE High Performance Buildings: http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/highperformance/
Federal Energy Management Program’s Sustainable Design & Operations: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/sustainable/
Contact:
Tom Robinson; Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; (202) 586-0139
Matt Gray; Federal Energy Management Program; (202) 586-0067
Department of Health and Human Services:
The Department of Health and Human Services requires that all construction projects build with Federal funds over $3 million will achieve LEED certification or Green Globes certification.
Department of Interior:
The Department of the Interior signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the USGBC supporting the use of LEED for Existing Buildings by its facilities. The DOI also signed a memorandum with the GSA and the USGBC supporting LEED for all partnered projects.
Contact:
Heather S. Davies; heather_davies@ios.doi.gov
Department of State:
The Department of State has committed to using LEED on the construction of new embassies worldwide over the next 10 years and has worked with the USGBC to coordinate a green charrette for the project teams in early 2001. The Department has several project registered for LEED certification.
Contact:
Donna McIntire; (703) 875-5336
Environmental Protection Agency:
As of FY 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency requires all its new facility construction and new building acquisition projects 20,000 square feet or larger achieve LEED Gold certification. The Agency currently has multiple projects registered for LEED for New Construction certification and supported the development of LEED for Existing Buildings. The Agency requires GSA to provide new major office leases that meet the Energy Star requirements. For updates from EPA on greening its buildings, visit: EPA Green Buildings.
EPA's Chelmsford, MA lab is the first Gold-rated federal building: http://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/
EPA's Green Buildings Vision and Policy Statement: http://www.epa.gov/oaintrnt/projects/policy.htm
Contact:
Cathy Berlow, (202) 564-3739; berlow.cathy@epa.gov
General Services Administration:
In order to objectively measure its sustainable design achievements, GSA decided in 2000 that beginning in 2003 all capital building projects must earn LEED Certified, with a target of LEED Silver. In 2008, in response to the changing market, GSA began requiring all lease construction to earn LEED Silver certification.
The General Services Administration is the nation's largest civilian landlord, managing space in over 8,600 owned and leased buildings for over one million federal employees. GSA was U.S. Green Building Council's first federal member and supported the development of LEED for Commercial Interiors. As of January 2008, GSA has 24 certified projects including courthouses, laboratories, office buildings, a border station, and a childcare facility.
http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentType=GSA_BASIC&contentId=14167&noc=Thttp://www.gsa.gov/sustainabledesign/
Contact:
Don Horn; donald.horn@gsa.gov;
National Aeronautics and Space Administration:
New construction and major renovations of NASA facilities projects planned for FY2006 and beyond are required to meet LEED Silver certification, and strive for LEED Gold. FY2004 and FY2005 projects will strive to meet LEED Silver certification. All other building projects will strive to follow the LEED rating system as much as possible. The LEED goal for NASA facilities projects will be reviewed, renewed, or changed every three years.
NASA Policy Directive
Contact:
Calvin Williams, Facilities Engineering and Real Property Division; (202) 358-2322; calvin.williams@nasa.gov
Smithsonian Institution:
On November 13, 2006, the Smithsonian Institution issued “Smithsonian Directive 422” in response to Executive Order 13123: Greening the Government through Efficient Energy Management. The directive articulates the Smithsonian’s goal to design, build, and maintain facilities that are eligible for, and that obtain, LEED certification. Initially, the Smithsonian requires all new buildings and renovation work to aim for a minimum of LEED certification. In addition, the Smithsonian will integrate the LEED checklist and guidelines into the planning, engineering, design, construction, deconstruction and maintenance of Smithsonian facilities.
Contact:
http://www.ofeo.si.edu/;
kelsonm@si.edu
U. S. Air Force:
The Air Force has developed a LEED Application Guide for Lodging projects and has conducted LEED training seminars for its design and construction personnel. The Air Force encourages the use of LEED for new or major renovations for MILCON projects and has created an online design guide for sustainable development structured after LEED. An online Sustainable Training course is also being developed.
Contact:
Boyce Bourland; (210) 536-5483
The Sustainable Development Guide:
http://www.afcee.brooks.af.mil/dc/dcd/arch/rfg/index.html
The LEED Application Guide for Lodging: http://www.afcee.brooks.af.mil/dc/DCD/arch/leed/leedguide.pdf
The Air Force Policy Letter for Sustainable Development: http://www.afcee.brooks.af.mil/green/resources/policymemo.pdf
U. S. Army:
The Army adopted LEED into its Sustainable Project Rating Tool (SPiRiT), but does not require certification of its projects. In January, 2006, the Army issued a memorandum stating that it will transition from SPiRiT to LEED beginning in FY2008. All new vertical construction projects will achieve LEED Silver certification. Additionally, the Army has committed to adopting LEED for Homes now that the program has launched.
U.S. Army Sustainability: http://www.sustainability.army.mil/
Contact:
Richard Schneider, U. S. Army Engineering Research & Development Center; 217-373-6752 r-schneider@cecer.army.mil
Construction Engineering Research Laboratory:
http://www.cecer.army.mil/SustDesign
U.S. Navy:
The Navy was the first federal agency to certify a LEED project: the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center (LEED for New Construction pilot). The Navy continues to pursue sustainable development in its facilities requiring all applicable projects to meet the LEED Certified level, unless justifiable conditions exist that limit accomplishment of the LEED credits necessary for achieving the LEED Certified level. Submission to the USGBC for certification is not a requirement, but is recommended for high visibility and showcase projects. The Navy uses LEED as a tool in applying sustainable development principles and as a metric to measure the sustainability achieved. The Navy has provided support for the development of the LEED for Homes and has participated in the LEED Existing Buildings and Multiple Buildings committees.
Contact:
Dennis Talton, R.A.; (757) 322-4211; dennis.talton@navy.mil
State of Arizona:
On Friday, Feb 11, 2005, Governor Janet Napolitano signed Executive Order #2005-05 requiring all state-funded buildings to achieve LEED Silver certification. The Executive Order also requires newly constructed state-funded buildings to incorporate renewable energy. This makes the state the first governmental entity in Arizona to adopt a mandatory green building standard.
Executive Order: http://www.governor.state.az.us/eo/2005_05.pdf
Contact:
Mick Dalrymple, Desert Moon Productions, Inc. (602) 321-7265; md@desertmooninc.com.
State of Arkansas:
Governor Mike Huckabee signed Act 1770 in July 2005 encouraging all state agencies to use green design strategies, including LEED. The bill also creates a "Legislative Task Force on Sustainable Building Design & Practices" which is to meet and continue to review, discuss and advise on issues related to sustainable building design.
Act 1770: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/acts/2005/public/act1770.pdf
Contact:
Mark Robertson, MESA Landscape Architects, Inc., (501) 372-6092; marobertson@mesainc.net
Martha Jane Murray, The Wilcox Group, (501) 666-4546; mmurray@thewilcoxgroup.com
State of California:
On September 23, 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 1389, which requires the Department of Housing and Urban Community Development to review relevant green building guidelines when preparing proposed building standards for submittal to the California Building Standards Commission. Additionally, the Department should consider proposing as mandatory building standards those green building features determined by the Department to be cost effective and feasible to promote greener construction.
On July 17, 2008, the California Building Standards Commission passed the California Green Building Standards Code, which aims to reduce water and energy use in buildings through landscaping, appliance efficiency, building design, and the use of recycled materials. The code is voluntary through 2009 at which time it becomes mandatory. The Code is written so as to not preempt more stringent local policies.
Governor Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order #S-20-04 on December 14, 2004, requiring the design, construction, and operation of all new and renovated state-owned facilities to be LEED Silver. The state is pursuing LEED for New Construction for its projects and the Silver certification level, and LEED for Existing Buildings certification for existing facilities.
Green California: http://www.green.ca.gov/default.htm
Contact:
Dan Burgoyne, State of California, Department of General Services; (916) 376-5010; daniel.burgoyne@dgs.ca.gov
State of Colorado:
On April 16, 2007, Governor Bill Ritter signed Senate Bill 51 into law requiring any new or renovated building whose total project cost includes 25 percent or more in state funds to be designed and built to a high performance green building standard. The new law requires the State Architect to select an independent third-party certification program, such as LEED. The project must achieve the highest level performance certification possible, which is determined by calculating whether the increased initial costs can be recouped from decreased operational costs within 15 years.
Contact:
Rod Vanderwall, Office of the State Architect; (303) 866-6110; Rod.Vanderwall@state.co.us
On July 15, 2005, Governor Owens signed Executive Order # D005 05 adopting LEED for Existing Buildings and incorporating LEED for New Construction practices for all state buildings. The order also creates a Colorado Greening Government Coordinating Council to develop and implement conservation policies.
Contact:
Angie Fyfe, Governor’s Energy Office 303-866-2059; angie.fyfe@state.co.us
State of Connecticut:
On June 4, 2007, Governor Rell signed House Bill 7432, stating that not later than January 1, 2008, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, after consulting with the State’s commissioners of public works, environmental protection and public safety, shall adopt, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, regulations for buildings consistent with or exceeding LEED Silver for new commercial construction and major renovation projects, or an equivalent standard, and thereafter update such regulations as the secretary deems necessary.
Once enacted, these regulations will apply to the following types of projects, provided that they receive $2 million or more in state funding: a) new state facility construction of $5 million or more approved and funded on or after January 1, 2008; b) state facility renovations of $2 million or more approved and funded on or after January 1, 2008; c) new public school construction of $5 million or more authorized on or after January 1, 2009; and d) public school renovations of $2 million or more authorized on or after January 1, 2009.
The law also requires the State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee to revise the State Building Code to meet or exceed LEED Silver for all private buildings constructed after January 1, 2009 of $5 million or more and for all renovations beginning after January 1, 2010 of $2 million or more. Exempt from these code requirements are residential buildings of four units or less and certain buildings, as determined by the Institute for Sustainable Energy, where costs may outweigh benefits.
HB 7432 further authorizes $30 million in state bonds, the sale proceeds of which are to be allocated to fund on-site renewable energy projects in state buildings pursuing LEED certification.
Contact:
Bob Maddox; (203) 266-7973; bmaddox@sterlingplanet.com
State of Florida:
On June 25, 2008, Governor Crist signed into law HB 7135, requiring all new construction and renovation of state buildings to follow the guidelines of LEED or other green building rating systems, including Green Globes and the Florida Green Building Coalition standards. The bill requires the same of the following public entities in the State of Florida entering design after July 1, 2008: counties, municipalities, school districts, water management districts, state universities, community colleges, and Florida state courts. The bill further requires that all new leases of state-occupied office space must meet Energy Star.
On July 13, 2007, Governor Crist issued Executive Order #07-126 adopting LEED-NC for any new building constructed for or by the State. New construction projects must strive for Platinum certification, the highest level possible. The Executive Order also required the Department of Management Services to implement LEED-EB across all buildings currently owned and operated by the department on behalf of client agencies. In addition, agencies and departments were instructed to only enter into new leasing agreements for office space that meets Energy Star building standards, unless no other viable alternative exists.
The Department of Environmental Protection has committed to administratively working with other state agencies to improve energy diversity, sustainability, efficiency and conservation statewide as part of Florida’s Energy Plan, released in January 2006. The commitment includes requiring that all new state government buildings meet the LEED standard.
Contact:
State of Hawaii:
On June 26, 2006, Governor Lingle signed HB #2175, thus requiring each state agency to design and construct buildings to meet the LEED Silver certified level, or a comparable standard. The law applies to all new state-owned construction of 5,000 square feet or greater, including K-12 public schools.
The Hawaii state legislature amended its provisions to Hawaiian counties with HRS 46 19.6, requiring priority processing for all construction or development permits for projects that achieve LEED Silver or equivalent.
Contact:
State of Illinois:
On August 24, 2007, the Illinois State Senate amended the School Construction Law (Public Act #95-0416 ) with the governor’s approval, directing the Capital Development Board to only issue grants to school projects with LEED for Schools or comparable rating system certification, or to projects that meet the standards set forth by the Capital Development Board’s Green Building Advisory Committee.
On August 21, 2007, Governor Blagojevich signed the “The Green Neighborhood Grant Act,” becoming the first state to create incentives for LEED for Neighborhood Development. This Act directs the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity the to fund up to 1.5% of total development costs for up to three (3) applicable neighborhoods per year, funds permitting. Applicable neighborhood developments will have achieved LEED-ND certification.
Contact:
Lisa Mattingly, P.E., State of Illinois Capital Development Board; (217) 524-6408; lisa.mattingly@illinois.gov
State of Indiana:
On June 28, 2008, Governor Daniels signed Executive Order 08-14, requiring all new state buildings earn LEED Silver certification, the EPA’s Energy Star rating, two Globes under the Green Globes rating system, or the equivalent under an ANSI accredited rating system. The EO also requires that all renovations of existing state buildings must follow LEED, Green Globes, or other guidelines.
Contact:
State of Kentucky:
On August 30, 2007, Governor Fletcher signed HB1 into law, a bill that included an addition to KRS 56.776 that would instruct the Finance and Administration Cabinet to use LEED or other rating systems to develop green building incentives for private development in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Contact:
State of Louisiana:
On February 12, 2008, the Louisiana Recovery Authority approved a resolution founding the State and Local Facilities Construction Authority to support public schools in their pursuit of LEED for schools certification or energy efficiency measures. The LRA has allocated $2.5 million for the creation of this Authority, likely to be operational by January 2009.
Contact:
State of Maine:
Governor John Baldacci issued an Executive Order in November 2003 directing all new or expanding state buildings to incorporate LEED guidelines provided that standards can be met on a cost-effective basis.
Executive Order: http://www.maine.gov/governor/baldacci/news/executive-orders/EX_ORDER_11_24_03.doc
Contact:
Wendy Porter; (207) 876-3331
State of Maryland:
On April 24, 2008, Governor O’Malley signed the High Performance Building Act into law, requiring all new public construction and major renovation projects of 7,500 sq ft or greater, and intended for occupation, to earn LEED Silver certification or two Green Globes. The High Performance Building Act further requires that MD public schools using state funds earn LEED Silver certification or two Green Globes.The High Performance Building Act further adds that “ the State will pay half of any extra costs” incurred in building green public schools.
Maryland’s governor issued an Executive Order in October 2001 calling for all capital projects greater than 5,000 square feet to earn LEED certification. The House and Senate passed legislation in April 2005 requiring a green building standard, such as LEED (Silver), be used for state capital projects.
MD Green Building Council contacts:
Sean McGuire, Environmental Design; (410) 260-8727; www.dnr.state.md.us/ed
Steve Gilliss, MD Dept. of General Services; (410) 767-4675; sgilliss@dgs.state.md.us
The state has also approved a green building tax credit for commercial developers: http://business.marylandtaxes.com/taxinfo/taxcredit/greenbldg/default.asp
Contact:
Mike Li, Maryland Energy Administration; (410) 260-7183; mli@energy.state.md.us
State of Massachusetts:
On April 18, 2007, Governor Deval Patrick signed Executive Order 484, “Leading by Example - Clean Energy and Efficient Buildings.” The order instructed all agencies involved in the construction and major renovation projects of over 20,000 square feet to meet LEED certification, incorporating energy performance 20% better than the Massachusetts Energy Code and outdoor water reduction requirements verified by an independent 3rd party commissioning authority.
Contact:
Jenna L. Ide; Energy Efficiency & Sustainable Buildings Group; Division of Capital Asset Management; (617) 727-4030; jenna.ide@state.ma.us
Barbra Batshalom, The Green Roundtable; (617) 374-3740; bb@greenroundtable.org
State of Michigan:
On April 22, 2005, Governor Granholm signed Executive Order #2005-4 requiring that all state-funded new construction and major renovation projects over $1,000,000 be built in accordance with LEED guidelines.
Contact:
State of Minnesota:
On May 25, 2007, Governor Pawlenty signed into law the Next Generation Energy Act of 2007 setting a roadmap towards a smarter energy future and requiring utilities provide technical assistance for commercial or residential projects that incorporate green building principles in their construction. Among other provisions, the Act established a goal of 100 commercial buildings achieving LEED or Green Globes certification by December 31, 2010.
Contact:
State of New Jersey:
On January 13, 2008, Governor Corzine signed Senate Bill 843 into law, requiring all new state-owned buildings of 15,000 square feet or greater to earn LEED Silver certification or equivalent as determined by state authorities.
In July 2002, Governor James E. McGreevey signed into law Executive Order #24, requiring all new school designs to incorporate LEED guidelines. The New Jersey Economic Schools Construction Corporation is encouraging the use of LEED but not requiring certification of new projects built under its $12 billion public school construction program.
Contact:
Andrew Topinka; andrewtopinka@mac.com
State of New Mexico:
In April 2007, Gov. Bill Richardson signed SB543 into law. The omnibus bill included a sustainable building tax credit to promote the construction of high performance, green design and construction. The credit applies to LEED for New Construction, Silver and higher; LEED for Existing Buildings, Silver or higher; LEED for Core and Shell, Silver and higher; LEED for Commercial Interiors, Silver or higher; and LEED for Homes, Silver or higher. The credit increases commensurate with the level of LEED certification achieved. The total amount of tax credits shall not exceed an aggregate amount of $5 million with respect to commercial buildings and an aggregate amount of $5 million with respect to residential buildings.
On January 16, 2006, Governor Bill Richardson signed Executive Order #06-001 requiring all public buildings over 15,000 ft2 to be LEED Silver certified.
Contact:
Karen Leigh Cook, President, EECOM, Inc.; (505) 842-9596; karen@eecominc.com
State of New York:
On September 29, 2008, Governor Patterson signed A10684, authorizing the New York Star Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to create and administer a green residential building grant program to encourage the construction of new homes and the renovation of existing homes that follow green building standards and criteria based on LEED for Homes. NYSERDA is authorized to provide incentives to qualified owners. For residential buildings with two or fewer dwelling units, incentives cannot exceed an amount equal to the product of the amount of qualified occupied square footage, not to exceed two thousand square feet, and three dollars and seventy-five cents. For residential buildings with greater than two dwelling units but fewer than six units, incentives cannot exceed an amount equal to the product of the amount of qualified occupied square footage, not to exceed three thousand square feet, and three dollars and seventy-five cents. For residential buildings with at least six dwelling units, incentives cannot exceed an amount equal to the product of the amount of qualified occupied square footage, not to exceed four thousand square feet, and three dollars and seventy-five cents.
On August 28, 2007, the Dormitory Authority, New York State’s building and construction agency, announced its commitment to register all new construction and major renovations projects with USGBC beginning in 2008, striving for LEED Silver. View the press release.
Governor Pataki issued Executive Order #111 in June 2001 encouraging but not requiring state projects to incorporate LEED Criteria and seek LEED Certification where possible. New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) awards incentives and technical assistance to help state agencies achieve the Executive Order objective. NYSERDA also offers incentives for owners and design teams of any privately owned and operated buildings in the state for energy efficiency measures and whole buildings that achieve a LEED rating with at least two points in Energy and Atmosphere Credit 1, Optimizing Energy Performance. NYSERDA's New Construction and Green Buildings Program offers a 10% increase on incentives for energy efficiency measures that reduce the use of electricity if the building achieves LEED plus 2 points in Energy and Atmosphere Credit 1 and a 25% increase in incentives if the building achieves 4 points in Energy and Atmosphere Credit 1. NYSERDA program funds up to $800,000 per building in Upstate New York and up to $1.5 million per project in New York City. NYSERDA will also buy down the interest rate on loans (4% below market rate) for energy efficiency measures and measures that assist in attaining a LEED credit. A low-interest loan may cover up to $1.5 million in energy and green measures.
The New York State Green Building Tax Credit Program provides an income tax incentive to commercial developments incorporating specific green strategies informed by LEED. New York Green Building Tax Incentive Program:
The New York Executive Order, Green and Clean State Buildings and Vehicles.
Contacts:
Craig Kneeland, NYSERDA; (518) 862-1090 ext. 3311; cek@nyserda.org
Charle-Pan Dawson, NYSERDA; 518-862-1090, x.3244 cad@nyserda.org
State of Nevada:
On June 15, 2007 Governor Gibbons approved AB621, amending previous green building tax abatement legislation passed in August, 2006 and June of 2005, making various changes in the provision of tax abatements and exemptions based upon the use of energy and repealing certain prospective energy requirements for public buildings. Companies that had planned construction projects by December of 2005 and received State approval by February 2007 will not be affected by the change. AB621 creates a three tiered property tax exemption plan, with a maximum of 35% for any private building achieving LEED Silver certification or higher, excluding single-family homes and residential structures three stories or fewer. AB621 also removes sales tax exemptions for products or materials used in the construction of eligible buildings.
On August 16, 2006, the Nevada Commission on Economic Development adopted the process and resolution to allow property tax abatement to any private building achieving LEED Silver certification or higher, excluding single-family homes and residential structures three stories or fewer.
On June 17, 2005 Governor Guinn signed AB3 requiring all state funded buildings be LEED Certified or higher in accordance with LEED or an equivalent standard. During each biennium, at least two occupied public buildings whose construction will be sponsored or financed by the State of Nevada must be designated as a demonstration project and be equivalent to a LEED Silver or higher certification, or an equivalent standard. The bill also provides tax abatements for property which has an eligible LEED Silver building and tax exemptions for products or materials used in the construction of a LEED Silver building.
Contact:
Lance Kirk, Lucchesi Galati Architects; (702) 263-7111; ljkirk@lgainc.com
State of North Carolina:
On August 2, 2007, the State of North Carolina enacted Senate Bill 581, formally granting permission to cities and counties to encourage green building practices in their jurisdictions through the use of reduced permitting fees or partial rebates for construction projects that achieve LEED certification or certification from other rating systems.
Contact:
State of Oklahoma:
On June 3, 2008, Governor Henry signed HB 3394 into law, requiring all state buildings over 10,000 sq ft to follow LEED guidelines or those of Green Globes. Compliance will be measured by the Department of Central Services. This legislation applies to buildings entering the design phase after July 1, 2008.
Contact:
State of Ohio:
On September 27, 2007, the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) passed Resolution #07-124, approving the incorporation of energy efficiency and sustainable design features into all future and some previously approved school projects. All K-12 public school projects approved by the OSFC are required to meet a minimum of LEED for Schools Silver certification, with strong encouragement to achieve the Gold level. There is additional emphasis on maximizing Energy & Atmosphere credits. The resolution directs OSFC to cover all LEED registration and certification fees and to provide a supplemental allowance to project budgets for the incorporation of sustainable, green strategies.
Contact:
Franklin Brown, Ohio School Facilities Commission; (614) 580-4855; Franklin.Brown@osfc.state.oh.us
State of Oregon:
A LEED Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC) is being administered by the state Office of Energy. LEED for New Construction, Core and Shell, or Commercial Interiors projects achieving a minimum Silver certification will be eligible. Projects must also meet certain technical requirements.
Contact:
Ann Grim, Oregon Office of Energy; (503) 378-4912
State of Pennsylvania:
In July 2005, the Pennsylvania legislature passed Act 46 of 2005 (House Bill 628, amending school construction reimbursement rates for Pennsylvania Public Schools, specifically providing hundreds of dollars of funding per pupil for public schools within the Commonwealth with proof of LEED Silver certification or higher, or two Green Globes or higher.
Four state funds including the $20 million Sustainable Energy Fund provide grants, loans and "near-equity" investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Pennsylvania.
Contact:
Maureen Guttman, Governor’s Green Government Council; mguttman@state.pa.us
State of Rhode Island:
On August 22, 2005, Governor Donald Carcieri signed Executive Order # 05-14 requiring all new construction and renovations of public buildings to meet LEED Silver certification or higher.
Contact:
State of South Carolina:
On June 20, 2007, the South Carolina legislature passed H3034 requiring that all state-owned and state-funded construction greater than 10,000 ft2 and any major renovation projects of greater than fifty percent of total building space or value achieve LEED-NC Silver certification or comparable standard. With a focus on energy efficiency, the legislation specifically requires a minimum of four credits earned in Energy & Atmosphere Credit 1, “Optimize Energy Performance.”
Contact:
State of South Dakota:
On March 17, 2008 Governor Rounds signed into law SB 188, establishing leadership in public buildings by requiring all new construction and major renovations of state-owned buildings costing at least $500K and greater than 5,000 square feet to earn LEED Silver, two Green Globes or a comparable standard.
Contact:
State of Virginia:
On March 04, 2008 Governor Kaine signed into law HB 239, amending and reenacting Section 58.1-3221.2 of the Code of Virginia thus declaring energy efficient buildings to be a separate class of taxation from other real property. The amended code provides for localities in the Commonwealth to levy equal or lesser taxes on energy efficient buildings, as defined in the code as meeting the performance standards of LEED, Energy Star, Green Globes or EarthCraft.
On April 5, 2007 Gov. Tim Kaine signed Executive Order 48, “Energy Efficiency in State Government,” which set out to reduce non-renewable energy purchases and increase overall energy savings.
As part of instituting the energy saving goals, the order instructs all state agencies and institutions constructing state-owned facilities over 5,000 gross square feet in size, and renovations of such buildings valued at 50% of the assessed building value, shall be designed and constructed consistent with the energy performance standards at least as stringent as LEED or EPA’s Energy Star rating.
In addition, the order instructs the Commonwealth to encourage the private sector to adopt energy-efficient building standards by giving preference when leasing facilities for state use to facilities meeting LEED or Energy Star.
Contact:
State of Washington:
On April 8, 2005, Governor Gregoire approved Chapter 39.35D of the Revised Code of Washington, “High-Performance Public Buildings,” requiring all projects over 5,000 square feet receiving capital funds after July 1, 2006 to be certified to the LEED Silver standard. The code also requires that all K-12 schools be certified to the LEED Silver standard or built to comply with the Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol as of July 1, 2007.
In addition, the code required all affordable homes receiving money from the state's Housing Trust Fund after July 1, 2008, to be built in compliance with the Evergreen Standard for Affordable Housing. By 2009, all new construction projects and major renovations receiving Washington State funds will be built to a green standard.
The Dept. of Corrections has made LEED Silver a requirement and certification is also required for buildings larger than 5,000 sq ft.
Community Colleges, Dept. of General Administration, The Evergreen State College, and several other smaller agencies have made LEED Silver the standard for design and construction, however certification is not required.
New Energy Life Cycle Cost Analysis Guidelines (ELCCA) went into effect January 2005 requiring that all new and remodeled public projects over 25,000 square feet in Washington State to submit a completed scorecard reflecting an attempt at LEED Silver. Project teams are permitted to submit an alternative means for scoring their efforts in sustainable building as approved by WA State Dept. of General Administration.
Department of General Administration green building webpage: www.ga.wa.gov/eas/green
Contact:
Stuart Simpson, Green Building Advisor, Dept. of General Administration; (360) 902-7199 Ssimpso@GA.WA.GOV
Contact:
Patricia Jatzcek, Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction (OSPI); (360) 725-4973; patricia.jatczak@k12.wa.us
State of Wisconsin:
On April 11, 2006, Governor Jim Doyle signed Executive Order 145 Relating to Conserve Wisconsin and the Creation of High Performance Green Building Standards and Energy Conservation for State Facilities and Operations. The Executive Order directs the Department of Administration to establish and adopt guidelines based on LEED for New Construction and LEED for Existing Buildings within 6 months. Any project that requests LEED certification as part of the initial project request will be supported by Department of Administration.
Contact:
Sherrie Gruder, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Solid & Hazardous Waste Education Center; (608) 262-0398; gruder@engr.wisc.edu
MUNICIPAL/CITY/COUNTY INITIATIVES [top]
Acton, MA:
On April 5, 2004, the Town of Acton adopted a zoning by-law (section 5.5B.2.2.d) allowing for a density bonus for buildings achieving LEED certification in the East Acton Village District.
Contact:
Roland Bartl, Town Planner; (978) 264-9636; planning@acton-ma.gov
Alameda, CA:
On May 6, 2008, the Alameda City Council adopted the Civic Green Building Ordinance, updating Chapter 13 of the Alameda Municipal Code, requiring all city-owned and city-funded projects exceeding $3 million in construction costs to earn LEED Certified or a GreenPoint Rated score of 50.
Contact:
Alameda County, CA:
All county projects initiated after July 1, 2003 must be LEED “Silver” certified. This ordinance added chapter 4.38 to Title 4 of the Administrative Code of the County of Alameda.
Administrative Code website: http://municipalcodes.lexisnexis.com/codes/alamedadmin/
Contact:
Michael Cadrecha, Architect, County of Alameda GSA-TSD; (510) 208-9589; michael.cadrecha@acgov.org.
Albany, CA:
On April 26, 2006, Albany city council adopted an ordinance requiring all city-sponsored construction projects of at least 5,000 square feet of occupied nonresidential space will achieve LEED Certified. Private commercial projects of 10,000 square feet are also required to achieve LEED Certified.
Projects in Albany pursuing LEED are also required to have a LEED AP as a principal member of the design team.
Contact:
Albuquerque, NM:
On September 25, 2007, Mayor Martin Chávez signed legislation adopting the 2007 Albuquerque Energy Conservation Code – Volumes I and II, requiring commercial and multifamily residential buildings to be 30% more efficient than a baseline building per ASHRAE 90.1 1999 and requiring one- and two-family dwellings to meet ICC 2006 and several other energy efficiency requirements. The provisions of this code do not apply to commercial and multi-family residential buildings that are LEED certified and that earn a minimum of 4 credits in EAc1 “Optimize Energy Performance,” or one- and two-family dwellings with proof of LEED for Homes Silver certification.
Mayor Martin Chavez signed an Executive Order 2006-001 on March 28, 2005 establishing high performance green building standards. All city-owned and city-funded projects 5,000 ft2 and above and/or using over 50 KW electrical demand must meet a minimum rating of LEED Silver certification. This includes LEED for New Construction, LEED for Existing Buildings, LEED for Core and Shell, or LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system.
Contact:
Richard Kennedy, Deputy Director; Environmental Health Department, City of Albuquerque; (505) 768-2625
Alexandria, VA:
The City’s Department of General Services developed a Green Building Policy and adopted by the City Manager in February 2004. The policy establishes procedures for analyzing LEED feasibility for facilities 5,000 square feet or greater, outlines staff resource and training goals, and identifies program participation opportunities, including Energy Star, Rebuild America, and USGBC.
Contact:
Jeremy McPike, Project Manager, Alexandria Department of General Services; 703-838-4770; Jeremy.mcpike@alexandriava.gov
Anaheim, CA:
On August 8, 2006, the Anaheim City Council adopted Resolution 2006-187, requiring all new municipal buildings over 10,000 sq ft to be LEED Certified and encouraging private developers and builders to earn LEED certification for all their future projects.
Contact:
Anchorage, AK:
On August 12, 2008, the Anchorage Assembly adopted Ordinance 2008-93, requiring all new municipal buildings, including new private construction for municipal leasing or renting, and major renovations of existing municipal buildings to be LEED Certified. Beginning July 1, 2012, the minimum level required will be increased to LEED Silver. The Ordinance also requires all Anchorage School District building construction and renovation over 20,000 sq ft to earn LEED Certified. The Department of Development Services will refund 100% of the expedited portion of building permitting fees for public and private projects that earn LEED Certified. In addition, 10% of the regular portion of building permitting fees for public and private development will be refunded for projects that earn LEED Certified, 15% for LEED Silver, 22.5% for LEED Gold, and 35% for LEED Platinum.
Contact:
Annapolis, MD:
On March 10, 2008 Mayor Ellen O. Moyer signed into law Ordinance 0-56-07, adding to the city code Chapter 17.14, “Green Buildings,” requiring all public construction to earn LEED Silver certification beginning January 2009.
The policy further applies new construction and major renovation of private sector commercial and residential projects as follows: commercial an mixed-use buildings of 7,500 sq ft or greater must earn LEED Certified; five or more single-family homes on one lot or any one home in excess of 3,250 sq ft must earn LEED Certified. The policy allows for projects to register and certify under the appropriate LEED Rating System or an energy and environmental design standard deemed equivalent by the Director of the Department of Neighborhood and Environmental Programs.
Contact:
Annapolis Neighborhood and Environmental Programs; (410) 263-7946
Arlington, MA:
In May 2003, the town of Arlington voted in favor of requiring all new buildings, major renovation projects, and additions to achieve a LEED Silver rating at a minimum. The measure is listed in Section 4 of the Town Bylaws, under Title 1, Article 16.
Contact:
Town of Arlington Permanent Town Building Committee; (781) 316-3000
Arlington County, VA:
Arlington County's Green Building Incentive Program, adopted in 1999 and expanded in 2003, allows commercial projects and private developments earning LEED Silver certification to develop sites at a higher density than conventional projects.
All site plan applications for commercial projects are required to include a LEED Scorecard and have a LEED Accredited Professional on the project team regardless of whether or not the project intends to seek LEED certification. All projects must contribute to a green building fund for county-wide education and outreach activities. The contribution is refunded if projects earn LEED certification.
Arlington sponsors a voluntary green home program that encourages builders of new single-family homes to incorporate energy efficient and other green building components in their projects. The County offers "front-of-the-line" plan review, site signs, and publicity to program participants who achieve a given number of points as outlined by Arlington's Green Home Choice program.
Contact:
Joan Kelsch; (703) 228-3599; jkelsch@arlingtonva.us
Department of Environmental Services:
http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/EnvironmentalServices/epo/EnvironmentalServicesEpoGreenBuildings.aspx
Asheville, NC:
On April 24, 2007, the Asheville City Council passed Resolution
07-91 that requires all new, occupied, city-owned buildings greater
than or equal to 5,000 square feet will be designed, contracted and
built to achieve LEED Gold, and to strive for LEED Platinum whenever
project resources and conditions permit. The policy also requires an
energy savings payback on the incremental cost of no greater than ten
years. If the payback period for recovering incremental construction
cost is greater than ten years, City staff shall design, contract and
build such a facility to be certified as LEED Silver.
In addition, all
new, occupied city-owned buildings which are less than 5,000 square
feet will be designed, contracted and built to incorporate measures
that would allow them to be certified at a minimum of LEED Silver
certification.
Contact:
Mark Combs, Director of Public Works; (828) 259-5935; mcombs@ashevillenc.gov
Athens-Clarke County, GA:
On June 1, 2004 the Mayor and Commission of the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Georgia adopted a resolution requiring all new municipal buildings to earn LEED Certified, with priority given to credits related to indoor air quality credits. The resolution also requires all new municipal projects to include a LEED AP in the design and construction oversight teams. Since that time a Policy and Procedure statement has been prepared by staff that gives priority to the certification efforts of municipal buildings of at least 5,000 sq ft of conditioned space and intended for regular occupancy. This statement also covers building major renovations involving more than 50 percent of the aggregate area of the building.
Contact:
Richard C. Field, Ph.D, ACC Environmental Coordinator; (706) 613-3530 ext 245; DickField@co.clarke.ga.us
Atlanta, GA:
The city passed Ordinance #03-0-1693 in December 2003 requiring all city-funded projects over 5,000 square feet or costing $2 million to meet a LEED Silver certified level. Projects exempt from this policy are required to complete a LEED checklist to assess any sustainable design techniques.
Code of Ordinances (see Chapter 75)
Contact:
Benjamin Taube, Director of Government Affairs, EcoSMART Technologies; (404) 931-1518; btaube@ecosmart.com
Auburn Hills, MI:
On November 13, 2006, the Auburn Hills City Council adopted the Auburn Hills Green Building Policy, encouraging all applicable municipal and private development projects to achieve LEED certification and approving the City’s membership in the U.S. Green Building Council.
Contact:
Austin, TX:
On June 8, 2000, the Austin City Council passed Resolution 000608-43 requiring all municipal projects over 5,000 sq ft earn a minimum of LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Richard Morgan, City of Austin-Green Building Program; (512) 482-5309; Richard.morgan@austinenergy.com
City of Austin Green Building Program: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/greenbuilder/
Babylon, NY:
On November 29, 2006, the Town of Babylon passed a resolution adopting a local law that requires LEED certification for any new construction of commercial buildings, office buildings, industrial buildings, multiple residence, or senior citizen multiple residence over 4,000 square feet. If certification is achieved, the Town will refund the certification fees paid to USGBC by the developer.
Contact:
Peter Caradonna, peterCARADONNArchitecture; (631) 689-1120; pcaradonna@pcaia.com
Baltimore, MD:
On August 14, 2007, Mayor Dixon signed into law Council Bill 07-0602 amending the Baltimore City Revised Code to require all city and city-funded projects greater than 10,000 square feet budgeted or permitted before July 1, 2009 to achieve a minimum of LEED Certified of the appropriate LEED Rating System. All city and city-funded buildings greater than 10,000 square feet budgeted for FY 2010 or permitted after July 1, 2009 will be required to earn a minimum of LEED Silver certification.
Commercial buildings or multi-family residential buildings of 10,000 square feet or greater that request a permit on or after July 1, 2009 must achieve a minimum of LEED Silver of the appropriate LEED Rating System. The building official is directed to deny occupancy permits and certificates of completion for noncompliant projects. Successful achievement of energy and environmental design standards deemed by the city building official to be equivalent to the minimum required levels of LEED are in compliance with this code.
Contact:
Brownwyn Phillips, Baltimore City Green Building Task Force; brownwyn.phillips@baltimorecity.gov
Baltimore County, MD:
On April 22, 2008 the Baltimore County Council adopted Bill #28-08 providing tax credits for new residential construction that earn a minimum of LEED Silver certification. Projects earning LEED Silver will earn a 40% property tax credit, 60% for LEED Gold, and 100% for LEED Platinum. The tax credits will be in effect for 3 years or up to $1 million in total incentives. This act takes effect June 4, 2008.
On October 15, 2007 the County Council passed Bill #78-07, High Performance Buildings, to replace Bill #85-06. The Bill expanded the tax credit to LEED for New Construction, LEED Core and Shell, and LEED for Existing Buildings. LEED for New Construction
will earn a 50% property tax credit for Silver, 60% for Gold, and 80% for
Platinum. LEED Core and Shell Silver will receive 40%, Gold 50%, and Platinum
70%. LEED for Existing Buildings Silver will earn a tax credit for 10%, 25% for
Gold, and 50% for Platinum. The duration of the LEED NC and
LEED CS tax credits are for five years consecutive years; whereas, the duration
of the LEED EB tax credit is for three years.
On June 5, 2006, the County Council passed Bill #85-06 that gives a
county property tax credit to any commercial building that achieves
LEED for New Construction Silver certification. The duration of the tax
credit is for ten consecutive years.
Contact: Elizabeth S. Glenn, Chief Community Planning and Development, eglenn@baltimorecountymd.gov
Bangor, ME:
On September 14, 2007 the Bangor City Council adopted a policy for all new city-owned or city-funded construction and major renovation projects to achieve LEED Certified. Projects of less than 5,000 square feet will comply with the Maine State Housing Authority Green Building Standards. The policy also encourages the private sector to design, construct and operate its buildings consistent with LEED.
Contact:
Wendy Warren; City of Bangor; (207) 992-4255; wendy.warren@bangormaine.gov
Bar Harbor, ME:
On June 13, 2006, Bar Harbor amended its municipal codes to award a density bonus of an additional market-rate dwelling unit for construction projects in which all dwelling units meet LEED standards. This bonus applies to projects within a Planned Unit Development and compliance is determined by either application or by affidavit for adherence during construction.
Contact:
Battery Park City, NY:
In May 2005, the Battery Park City Authority published the Residential Environmental Guidelines which require developers to earn a minimum of LEED for New Construction Gold certification for all buildings and employ a LEED AP as the Green Team Leader for the project. The developer or building owner must earn LEED for Existing Buildings Certified every five years. Additionally, all community space must earn LEED for Commercial Interiors Gold certification.
In March 2002, the Battery Park City Authority published the Commercial/Institutional Environmental, substantially based on the LEED rating system, that require a customized, but similar version of LEED Gold certification for commercial buildings.
Contact:
Battery Park City Authority; (212) 417-2000; info@bpcauthor.org
Bellingham, WA:
On May 9, 2005, the Bellingham City Council adopted Resolution 2005-21, requiring all new municipal building construction and renovation over 5,000 sq ft where the City provides a majority of the funding to earn LEED Silver certification. The City also provides a 0.5 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) bonus for private development that earns LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Berkeley, CA:
On November 18, 2003, the Berkeley City Council adopted Resolution #62,284-NS, requiring municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft and $200,000 that enter design and construction after January 1, 2004 to follow LEED Certified guidelines. The Resolution increases this requirement to a minimum of LEED Silver “guidelines” beginning on January 1, 2006.
Contact:
Rahul Young, City of Berkeley's Green Building Coordinator; (510) 981-7535; RahulYoung@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Berlin, CT:
On December 4, 2007, the Berlin Town Council adopted a resolution encouraging town planners and private developers to follow LEED for New Construction and LEED for Existing Building guidelines when constructing or renovating municipal, industrial, commercial, and residential buildings over 25,000 sq ft or exceeding $1 million.
Contact:
Boston, MA:
On January 10, 2007 the City of Boston added Article 37 to Section 80 of the Boston Zoning Code requiring that all public and private development projects over 50,000 square feet earn either LEED Certified or successful review and approval through Boston Interagency Council Review (with the same LEED documentation and an optional 4 Boston-specific credits). The Article directs the City to deny permits and certificates of occupancy to noncompliant projects. For all projects regardless of size, the Boston Redevelopment Authority requires a LEED checklist to be submitted.
Aligned
with the Mayor’s January 2007 upgrade to the Boston Zoning Code, in April 2007,
the Boston Department of Neighborhood Development updated its Residential
Design Standards requiring the use of LEED for Homes (or LEED for New
Construction for larger projects) as a design guide for new construction and
rehabilitation of affordable housing projects, further requiring Energy Star
Homes certification for projects less than four stories. While certification is not required, projects
must be approved as “certifiable” through DND review of documentation.
In addition, the Boston Department of Neighborhood Development requires private projects under 50,000 square feet to follow the same requirements for LEED certification or Boston Interagency Council Review of LEED documentation.
Contact:
John Dalzell, Boston Redevelopment Authority; (617) 918-4334; John.Dalzell.BRA@cityofboston.gov
In December 2004, Mayor Menino adopted the recommendations of his Green Building Task Force and now requires LEED Silver for all city-owned new construction and major renovation projects and LEED Certified for all city supported development projects.
Contact:
Sarah D. Zaphiris, Office of the Mayor; (617) 635-2886; Sarah.Zaphiris@cityofboston.gov
Boulder, CO:
On November 13, 2007, the Boulder City Council adopted Ordinance 7565 establishing the Boulder Residential Green Points Program and setting the Green Point requirements for new single-unit and multi-unit residential construction and renovation begun after February 1, 2008. Any structure that earns a minimum of LEED Silver certification is exempt from the Green Points requirement.
Contact:
Elizabeth A. Vasatka, Environmental Coordinator; (303) 441-1964; vasatkae@ci.boulder.co.us
Bowie, MD:
The City Council passed Resolution #R-15-03 requiring all municipal projects to follow green building criteria and to use LEED guidelines on a project by project basis. The city has partnered with several local, state, and federal agencies to construct the city’s first green demonstration project, the Parks and Grounds Facility, with a minimum certification of LEED Silver.
Contact:
Ruth Newell, City of Bowie; (301) 809-3009
Brisbane,CA:
On December 17, 2007, the Brisbane City Council adopted Ordinance 524, requiring all new municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification and all new commercial construction and renovation over 10,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification. Commercial projects smaller than 10,000 sq ft are encouraged to follow LEED guidelines.
Contact:
Brookhaven, NY:
On May 1, 2007, the Brookhaven Town Board adopted Green Building/LEED Standards for New Large Commercial Retailer Development requiring all new commercial shopping centers 125,000 sq ft and larger to obtain a green building permit. The policy also established a density bonus of a 1% increase in floor area ratio (FAR) per level of LEED certification achieved.
http://www.brookhaven.org/TownCalendar/tabid/55/ctl/ViewEvent/mid/610/EventId/257/EventDate/20070501/Default.aspx (Open the Decisions document and scroll down to page 3)
Contact:
Broward County, FL:
On October 14, 2008, the Broward County Commission adopted a Green Building Policy requiring all new County-owned and operated buildings to be LEED Certified.
www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=5189 (scroll down to page 4)
Contact:
Burbank, CA:
In March of 2004, the City of Burbank issued its Green Building and Sustainable Architecture Reference Manual including Burbank-specific guidelines on a credit-by-credit basis with the LEED Rating System for New Construction. Expedited permit approval and reduced permit fees (5%-15%) are available to varying degrees based on the level of sustainability achieved.
For Level I, projects must submit proof of construction waste diversion and stormwater prevention programs; for Level II, projects must submit proof of sustainable building methods and materials programs in addition to Level I requirements; for Level III, projects must submit proof of LEED certification.
Contact:
Calabasas, CA:
On January 7, 2004, the Calabasas City Council adopted Ordinance #2003-185 requiring all non-residential, city and privately-owned buildings between 500 ft2 and 5,000 ft2 to meet the LEED Certified level. Buildings over 5,000 ft2 must meet the LEED Silver level.
Contact:
Cambridge, MA:
The City of Cambridge has adopted a City Green Building Policy requiring that all new construction and major renovation of municipal buildings, including public schools, follow LEED guidelines. The project review special permit process, adopted as part of the 2001 City-wide Rezoning for review of all large projects in the City, requires applicants to outline how the proposed development performs on the LEED checklist. Following LEED certification standards and other evolving environmental efficiency standards is encouraged.
Contact:
Iram Farooq, Cambridge Planning Board; (617) 349-4606; ifarooq@cambridgema.gov
Campbell, CA:
On December 4, 2007, the Campbell City Council adopted Resolution 10850, requiring all new and renovated municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft to achieve LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Chamblee, GA:
On March 18, 2008 the Chamblee City Council adopted a policy amending City Code of Ordinances requiring all future public construction of any size to earn LEED Certified or one Green Globe. The policy also requires that all new commercial construction of 20,000 sq ft or greater earn LEED Certified certification or one Green Globe.
Contact:
Dan Schultz, Zoning Administrator; (770) 986-5010; dschultz@chambleega.com
Mark Wedge, Chamblee City Council; (770) 986-5010
Chandler, AZ:
On June 26, 2008, the Chandler City Council adopted Resolution #4199, requiring that all new municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft earn LEED Silver certification and that all renovations of municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft follow LEED guidelines. The Resolution also provides for expedited plan review for private developments that register with the intent to certify at LEED Silver or better. The resolution further offers LEED certification fee reimbursements: 50% for LEED Certified and LEED Silver projects; 100% for LEED Gold and LEED Platinum projects. Projects that earn a minimum of LEED Certified will also be recognized in various ways by the City of Chandler, including inclusion on the Chandler Green Building Program Participant list and signage recognizing the building as being green.
http://www.chandleraz.gov/Content/20080626_15.pdf (scroll down to page 10)
Contact:
Jason Crampton, City Planner - Long Range Planning; Town of Chandler; (480)782-3072; jason.crampton@chandleraz.gov
http://www.chandleraz.gov/greenbuilding
Chapel Hill, NC:
On May 9, 2005, the Chapel Hill City Council adopted Ordinance O-3, requiring that all new construction of municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft earn LEED Silver certification. The Council may also decide that municipal buildings smaller than 5,000 sq ft must earn LEED Silver certification. The Ordinance also requires that the design and project management teams for these buildings include a LEED AP. The City further encourages retrofits and renovations of existing municipal buildings and new public housing to follow LEED guidelines.
Contact:
David Bonk, Long Range Planning and Transportation Coordinator; Town of Chapel Hill; (919) 968-2728; dbonk@townofchapelhill.org
Charleston, SC:
On April 22, 2008, the Mayor Riley signed into law Resolution 2008-05 supporting a variety of sustainability policies, including requiring all new municipal buildings be LEED Certified, beginning in 2009.
Contact: Marcia Grant, Council Secretary, City of Charleston; grantm@ci.charleston.sc.us
Chatham County, GA:
In May, 2006, the Board of Commissioners of Chatham County passed an ordinance (page 79-85) amending Chapter 7 of the county code that gives full property state and county tax abatement for commercial buildings achieving LEED Gold certification for the first five years, then tapering off by 20% each year until the tenth year. Qualifying projects are new or expanding businesses in an enterprise zone that increase employment opportunities.
Contact:
Chicago, IL:
In June 2004, the City of Chicago passed a resolution requiring all new city-funded construction and major renovation projects will earn LEED certification. The Chicago Standard is a product of this resolution. Numerous buildings are already being designed and constructed using LEED.
The Chicago Department of Construction and Permits (DCAP) has also developed a Green Permit Program, offering expedited permitting for projects that incorporate innovative green building strategies, including LEED certification. Commercial projects are eligible for an expedited permit in less than 30 days if the project achieves LEED certification. Projects that achieve higher levels of LEED certification are eligible to have the consultant review fee waived as well as an expedited permit in less than 15 days.
Contact:
Sadhu Johnston, Chief Environmental Officer; City of Chicago; (312) 744-1803; sjohnston@cityofchicago.org
Cincinnati, OH:
On December 12, 2007, the Cincinnati City Council adopted Ordinance 446-2007 , amending Ordinance 182-2007 and providing an automatic 100% real property tax exemption of the assessed property value for newly-constructed or rehabilitated commercial or residential properties that earn a minimum of LEED Certified. Buildings that earn LEED Certified, Silver or Gold can receive a real property tax abatement up to $500,000, with no limit for LEED Platinum buildings. The property tax exemption period is 15 years for new residential, commercial, or industrial buildings; 12 years for renovated commercial and industrial buildings and renovated residential buildings with 4 or more units; and 10 years for renovated residential buildings with 1-3 units.
On September 20, 2006, the Cincinnati City Council approved a motion requiring that all new municipal buildings earn LEED Certified. The motion also requires that existing municipal buildings be renovated following LEED guidelines.
Contact: Eric Denson, Senior Development Officer, eric.denson@cincinnati-oh.gov
Clayton, MO:
On September 26, 2006, the City of Clayton passed Resolution #06-21 requiring new construction and major renovations of City-owned, occupied, or funded buildings over 5,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Punit K. Jain, Cannon Design; (314) 425-8731; pjain@cannondesign.com
Conyers, GA:
On October 1, 2008, the Conyers City Council adopted Ordinance 777, requiring all new residential or municipal buildings with over 5,000 sq ft of occupied space to achieve LEED certification or be EarthCraft House certified.
Contact:
Steven Owens, Chief Building Inspector, City of Conyers; steve.owens@conyersga.com
Cook County, IL:
Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley proposal for an ordinance requiring LEED certification of all county building projects passed on October 21, 2002. The ordinance calls for projects to earn a minimum of 8 credits in the Energy & Atmosphere category to ensure best life-cycle returns. The ordinance also calls for each retrofitted county building to achieve LEED for Existing Building certification.
Contact:
Sadhu Johnson, Assistant to the Mayor for Green Initiatives; sjohnston@cityofchicago.org
Costa Mesa, CA:
On September 4, 2007, the Costa Mesa City Council approved a resolution that established a green building incentive program for private development, effective September 5, 2007 through June 30, 2008. The program encourages green building practices through various incentives, including priority permitting and fee waivers for all green installations and fee reductions to cover the cost of LEED certification.
On the same day, the City established leadership by becoming the first municipality in the State of California to require all new municipal construction to achieve LEED Gold, with no size or cost minimums.
Contact:
Khanh Nguyen, Building Official; City of Costa Mesa; (714) 754-5277; knguyen@ci.costa-mesa.ca.us
Cranford, NJ:
On November 15, 2005, the Township of Cranford adopted Ordinance No. 2005-46 requiring all township-funded facilities projects and township-owned facilities to meet LEED Silver certification. The Township also adopted LEED for Existing Buildings for its existing facilities.
The ordinance also established a Green Building Density Incentive program whereby redevelopers who achieve LEED certification and comply with the specific program requirements may earn a development density bonus from the Township.
Contact:
Nelson Dittmar, Chair; Cranford Environmental Commission; candndittmar@cs.com
Cupertino, CA:
On November 20, 2007, the Cupertino City Council adopted a policy requiring all new municipal buildings to achieve LEED Silver certification.
http://64.165.34.13/weblink7/DocView.aspx?id=23721 (scroll down to page 9)
Contact:
Dallas, TX:
On April 10, 2008 the City of Dallas adopted a green building ordinance requiring energy and water efficiency improvements for new residential and commercial buildings. Starting in October of 2009 and prior to 2011, new residential construction must submit a residential green building checklist (LEED for Homes, GreenPoint Rated, Green Communities, Green Built North Texas or equivalents) and new commercial construction greater than 50,000 sq feet must attempt a number of priority LEED credits. Expedited permitting is available for all covered projects. After 2011, all new residential and commercial construction must submit a complete scorecard for one of the approved rating systems.
Contact:
Zaida Basora, Dallas Public Works and Transportation; (214) 948-4634; zaida.basora@dallascityhall.com
In August, 2007, the Dallas Public Works and Transportation Department issued an updated “LEED Policy,” requiring all city buildings larger than 10,000 square feet in the 2006 Bond Program and subsequent bond program to achieve LEED Gold certification. Furthermore, the decision requires facilities to earn WEc3.1 and 3 points in EAc1 in their pursuit of LEED certification. The previous policy, 03-0367, passed on January 22, 2003 required these buildings to earn LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Jill Jordan, City of Dallas; (214) 670-5299
Denver, CO:
On October 24, 2007, Mayor Hickenlooper signed Executive Order 123 requiring new municipal building construction over 5,000 sq ft and major renovations (affecting at least 25% of existing building) that are funded after July 12, 2006 to earn LEED for New Construction Silver certification. The Order also requires all existing and future municipal facilities to be maintained and operated using all appropriate LEED for Existing Buildings principles.
In his State of the City 2006 address, Mayor Hickenlooper announced a new action plan to strengthen Denver’s environmental and economic legacy and declared that the city will be requiring all new public buildings and major municipal renovations to be LEED Silver certified and to meet EPA Energy Star guidelines.
Contact:
Derry, NH:
On March 4, 2008 the Derry Town Council adopted a green building policy requiring all new construction or major renovations to town-owned or town-funded projects to achieve LEED Certified. In addition, this policy also requires the purchase of alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles for the Town’s fleet.
Contact:
Doraville, GA:
On August 4, 2008, the Doraville City Council adopted an ordinance requiring all new municipal buildings and all commercial, industrial, and multifamily residential buildings over 20,000 sq ft to be LEED Certified.
Contact: Bob Roche, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Doraville; bobroche@mindspring.com
Doylestown Borough, PA:
On June 18, 2007, the Doylestown Borough Council adopted Resolution 2007-10, amending the fee schedule to create a Green Points Building Incentives Program, providing a 60% reduction in applicable building permit fees for new commercial and residential construction, additions, and interior remodels earning a minimum of LEED Silver certification. Non-LEED certified projects can earn fee reductions by demonstrating compliance with green building practices.
Contact:
Dublin, CA:
In March 2004, the City Council approved Ordinance 9-04 that all municipal projects with an estimated construction cost of $3 million or greater must register with the USGBC and achieve LEED Silver certification. Smaller projects are required to incorporate as many green building principles as deemed appropriate by the Green Building Compliance Official.
Contact:
Durham County, NC:
On October 27, 2008, the Durham Board of County Commissioners adopted a High Performance Building Policy requiring all new County buildings over 10,000 sq ft to earn at minimum LEED Gold certification or a comparable standard. New County buildings between 4,000 and 10,000 sq ft must earn at minimum LEED Silver certification or a comparable standard. The policy also requires all County building renovations in excess of 25% of the building and comprising upgrades or replacements of two of the three major systems (HVAC, lighting, and plumbing) to earn LEED Certified or a comparable standard.
Contact: Tobin Fried, Sustainability Manager, Durham City and County; mailto:tfried@co.durham.nc.us
Eagle County, CO:
On September 27, 2006, Eagle County, Colorado implemented the Eagle County Efficient Building Code (ECObuild), applying to all new single and multi-family homes as well as residential expansions of more than 50% of existing square footage. ECObuild offers point-based prescriptive compliance in siting, water conservation, materials, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and indoor air quality. Projects achieving LEED certification are exempt from the requirements of the program. Homes that obtain points above the required minimum are eligible for rebates of 25% (up to $5,000) off their permit fees, as well as additional 10% rebates for each 20-point increment achieved above the minimums.
The County implements a strategy of funding desired behavior by penalizing undesired behavior, allowing projects to elect to pay a fee for the number of points missed below the minimum. These fees provide funding for financial assistance, incentives, and rebates for sustainable building and sustainable energy projects in Eagle County.
Contact:
Adam Palmer, ECObuild Specialist; (970) 328-8734; adam.palmer@eaglecounty.us
El Paso, TX:
On June 10, 2008, the El Paso City Council adopted an ordinance requiring all new municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft earn a minimum of LEED Silver certification.
http://www.ci.el-paso.tx.us/muni_clerk/agenda/06_10_08/06100809G.pdf (scroll down to page 2)
On September 11, 2007, the El Paso City Council unanimously adopted the Green Building Grant Program, providing grants for commercial projects greater than 5,000 square feet and multi-family, multi-story residential projects that LEED certification. Grants are awarded only upon receipt of a certificate of occupancy and review of LEED certification wherein ten (10) of the seventeen (17) available points in Energy & Atmosphere credit category must be earned. Grants are awarded at increasing intervals determining on level of certification. Maximum grant allowance is $200,000 for LEED Platinum for new construction and $400,000 for LEED Platinum for “multistory existing buildings” that are mixed use and that have been 50% vacant for 5 years, and as further defined by the City.
Contact:
Erie County, NY:
On August 27, 2007, the Erie County legislature passed Local Law #5-2007, requiring all new construction and major renovations of county facilities to achieve LEED Silver. Applicable projects will be 2,500 square feet or greater for new construction. The law requires compliance of major renovation projects of 2,500 square feet or greater and of greater than 50% of the assessed value of the facility. County facilities include municipal occupied spaces, including public institutions of higher education.
On the same day, the legislature also passed Local Law #4-2007, mandating the purchase of EnergyStar products where possible.
Contact:
Eugene, OR:
On July 10, 2006, the Eugene City Council adopted Resolution #4884, requiring all new municipal buildings over 10,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification. The resolution also requires that all new municipal buildings under 10,000 sq ft follow LEED for New Construction guidelines and that all existing municipal buildings be maintained and operated in accordance with LEED for Existing Buildings.
All new construction and additions encompassing 10,000 gross square feet or more of building area should achieve a LEED for New Construction Silver certification. A higher equivalent rating (Gold or Platinum) should be sought where practicable as funding is available.
New construction encompassing less than 10,000 gross square feet of building area should achieve the equivalent of at least a LEED Silver certification level where technically feasible. Projects of any size for which certification is not feasible due to technical reasons should use LEED for New Construction as a guide to incorporate as many sustainable features as economically feasible.
Building renovation projects should use LEED for New Construction as a guide and will be evaluated for certification on a case-by-case basis, as the feasibility of incorporating sustainable features within the context of the existing building will vary widely from project to project.
Contact:
Glen Svendsen, Facility Management Division Manager, Sustainable Building Task Force; (541) 682-5008; glen.l.svendsen@ci.eugene.or.us
Everett, WA:
In May 2007, the City Council passed an ordinance that requires new buildings 5,000 square feet or larger to meet LEED Silver in all new City capital improvement projects. The bill encourages appropriate departments to budget for and attend sustainable building training and/or obtain LEED accreditation. Further, the ordinance instructs the City to encourage the use of LEED through its land use regulations, building codes, and development standards.
Contact:
Allan Giffen, Director, Planning Department; (425) 257-8731; kdavis@ci.everett.wa.us
Fairfax County, VA:
On February 11, 2008 the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted a green building policy requiring all new construction or major renovation projects of county buildings over 10,000 square feet to earn LEED Silver certification. The policy further supports the July 2007 foundation of Cool Counties, of which Fairfax was a primary partner and signatory.
Contact:
Fayetteville, AR:
On October 2, 2007, the Fayetteville City Council adopted Resolution #176-07, requiring all new city-owned facilities greater than 5,000 square feet to achieve a minimum of LEED Silver certification. The bill also requires all other new construction in the city to submit a LEED checklist with application for permit, stressing an emphasis on energy and water efficiency.
Contact:
John Coleman, Sustainability Coordinator; City of Fayetteville; (479) 575-8272
Flagstaff, AZ:
On June 3, 2008, the Flagstaff City Council adopted Resolution 2008-32, requiring all new municipal buildings be constructed to earn a minimum of LEED Silver certification and should attempt to earn LEED Platinum certification where feasible.
Contact:
Fort Collins, CO:
On September 5, 2006, the Fort Collins City Council adopted Resolution 2006-096requiring that all new municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft earn LEED Gold certification or higher. Existing municipal buildings should use LEED for Existing Buildings as a guide for operations and maintenance.
Contact:
Gainesville, FL:
The city passed Ordinance # 1835 (Chapter 6, Article I.5) requiring government county buildings be LEED certified. Additionally, the county is providing a fast-track building permit incentive and a 50% reduction in the cost of building permit fees for private contractors who use LEED.
Contact:
City of Gainesville; (352) 334-5000; http://www.cityofgainesville.org/gov/
Gaithersburg, MD:
On September 15, 2008, the Gaithersburg City Council adopted Ordinance O-11-2008, requiring all commercial or residential buildings over four stories between 10,000 sq ft and 99,999 sq ft to earn at minimum LEED Certification and all commercial or residential buildings over four stories over 99,999 sq ft to earn at minimum LEED Silver certification.
On April 16, 2007, the Gaithersburg City Council adopted Resolution R-33-07, requiring all new municipal construction to earn LEED Silver certification. The resolution also says that renovations of municipal buildings should follow LEED guidelines.
Contact:
Erica Shingara, Environmental Services Director, City of Gaithersburg; eshingara@gaithersburgmd.gov
Grand Rapids, MI:
On January 24, 2006, the Grand Rapids City Commission adopted Policy 600-16 , requiring all new municipal buildings over 10,000 sq ft and $1 million to be LEED Certified. All municipal renovation and building operations should follow LEED guidelines.
Contact:
Keith Winn, Catalyst Partners; (616) 454-1111; kwinn@catalyst-partners.com
Greensburg, KS:
On December 17, 2007, the Greensburg City Council adopted a resolution certify all new city-owned buildings greater than 4,000 square feet at LEED Platinum, making it the first city in the U.S. to pass such a resolution. The resolution further requires that qualifying city buildings earn all 10 points in EAc1, Optimize Energy Performance. Projects under construction at the time the resolution was passed are also required to register and certify LEED Platinum in the appropriate rating system.
Contact:
Harris County, TX:
On May 20, 2008, the Harris County Commissioners Court adopted an ordinance establishing a partial tax abatement for costs incurred by developers to certify buildings with the U.S. Green Building Council. Buildings that meet the Certified level would be eligible for tax abatements of 1 percent of the construction costs. Buildings with higher ratings would get higher discounts with buildings that meet the platinum certification level eligible for tax abatements of 10 percent of the construction costs.
Contact:
Hillsborough County, FL:
On October 9, 2007, the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners updated its Development Review Procedures Manual, allowing for expediting plan reviews for projects with a completed scorecard from either the U.S. Green Building Council or the Florida Green Building Coalition. The policy is effective January 1, 2008.
On May 14, 2007, Hillsborough County Manager Allgire approved the Residential Green Homes Policy, offering expedited permitting to home builders with a completed scorecard from either the LEED for Homes program or the Florida Green Home Standard Checklist. Scorecards must be supplied by a LEED for Homes provider or a qualified, third party green home certifier.
Contact:
Dyan E. Backe, Senior Planner; Planning and Growth Management; Hillsborough County, FL; (813) 307-4507; mailto:BackeD@HillsboroughCounty.org
Honolulu, HI:
On February 27, 2006, the City and County of Honolulu passed Ordinance #06-06 requiring new city facilities over 5,000 square feet to achieve LEED Silver.
In 2004, the City and County of Honolulu passed Bill #69 (2004), providing an exemption from real property taxes on the building improvements for a period of one year on all new commercial, resort, hotel and industrial construction that achieves LEED Certification.
Contact:
Houston, TX:
The city adopted Green Building Resolution #2004-15 on June 23, 2004, stating that all city owned buildings and facilities over 10,000 sq ft shall use LEED to the greatest extent practical and reasonable with a target of LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Rebecca Bryant; (713) 524-2155; rebeccab@baileyarchitects.com
Kathleen English; (713) 850-0400; kenglish@english-architects.com
Howard County, MD:
On July 30, 2007, Howard County passed Bill #47-2008, requiring all new county projects (new construction, major renovation and core & shell) to achieve LEED Silver. Private construction greater than 50,000 square feet is required to achieve LEED Certified. The bill also includes expedited permitting for projects seeking LEED Gold or Platinum.
On the same day, as part of the county’s green building policy package, Bill #49-2007 established a five-year property tax credit for projects that achieve LEED-NC and LEED-CS. The credit increases depending on the level of certification: 25% for LEED Silver, 50% for LEED Gold and 75% for LEED Platinum. County tax credits for buildings certified under LEED for Existing Buildings extend for three years: 10% for LEED Silver, 25% for LEED Gold and 50% for LEED Platinum. These tax credits will be available for tax years beginning after June 30, 2008.
Contact:
Irvine, CA:
On December 13, 2005, Irvine Mayor Krom signed into law Resolution #05-153, establishing a Green Building Program in which all new municipal buildings and major renovations of municipal structures of 5,000 square feet or larger shall be designed, constructed and certified at a minimum of LEED Certified.
Resolution #05-153 can be viewed through Irvine’s city records search.
Contact:
Issaquah, WA:
The City of Issaquah passed Resolution #2004-11 in December, 2004, adopting a sustainable building and infrastructure policy. Developers intending to use LEED may receive free professional consultation and projects achieving LEED certification are placed at the head of the building permit review line.
Sustainable Building Web site: http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/Page.asp?NavID=327
Contact:
David Fujimoto, City of Issaquah Resource Conservation Office; (425) 837-3412; DavidF@ci.issaquah.wa.us
Jacksonville, FL:
In November, 2008, Mayor John Peyton signed Executive Order 2008-03, establishing a Sustainability Policy for the City of Jacksonville. As part of this Executive Order, all new municipal building construction and major renovation are required to achieve the appropriate LEED certification. The Executive Order also requires all existing and future municipal buildings to be maintained and operated according to the LEED for Existing Buildings checklist.
Contact:
Derek Igou, Sustainability Officer; digou@coj.net
Kansas City, MO:
On November 18, 2004, the Kansas City City Council adopted Resolution 041222, requiring all new municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Tom Bean, City Architect; (816) 513-2531
Bob Lawler; (816) 513-2532
Kearny, NJ:
On September 11, 2007, the Kearny Town Council adopted Ordinance 54, requiring all new municipal buildings to earn a minimum of LEED Silver certification. The ordinance also offers density bonuses to private redevelopment projects that earn LEED certification: an additional 0.3 FAR (Floor Area Ratio) or 3 additional dwelling units per acre for LEED Platinum; an additional 0.25 FAR or 2 additional dwelling units per acre for LEED Gold; an additional 0.2 FAR or 1 additional dwelling unit per acre for LEED Silver; an additional 0.15 FAR or 0.5 additional dwelling units per acre for LEED Certified.
Contact:
King County, WA:
King County Executive Order FES 9-3 (AEP) requires all new public construction projects to seek LEED certification and encourages the application of LEED criteria to building retrofits and tenant improvements. There is a LEED supplement for King County projects.
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/swd/leed/kcbldgs.asp
King County Council established a Green Building Grants Program that offers from $15,000 to $25,000 in grant funding to building owners who meet a minimum of LEED Silver for new construction or major renovation in the county, but outside the City of Seattle.
Contact:
Theresa Koppang, King County Solid Waste Division; (206) 296-8480; theresa.koppang@metrokc.gov
La Plata, MD:
On February 26, 2008 Mayor Ambrogio of the Town of La Plata signed into law Town Council Resolution #08-2 requiring all town-owned and town-funded new construction and major renovations greater than 5,000 square feet to achieve LEED Certified. The policy further recommends LEED for private sector construction and for public projects of smaller size.
Contact:
Lakewood, OH:
On April 7, 2003, Lakewood City Council adopted Resolution #7746-03, requiring the construction and operation of city facilities and city-funded projects to incorporate LEED to the greatest extent practicable. The resolution also encourages the use of LEED in private sector development.
Contact:
Livermore, CA:
On October 17, 2006, the Livermore City Council adopted the Commercial and Residential Green Building Ordinance, requiring all commercial and residential projects to submit a LEED or GreenPoint checklist. Projects that register intent to achieve LEED Certified or higher may receive expedited review and reduced permit fees.
As per Ordinance #1727 passed by the City Council in 2004, all city buildings shall meet a minimum LEED Silver certification. All projects pursing LEED are required to include a LEED Accredited Professional on the project team. The ordinance added Chapter 15.74 to the municipal code.
Contact:
Logan City, UT:
On August 23, 2007, Mayor Randy Watts signed Ordinance #07-63 into law, requiring all city building projects to achieve LEED Silver. This ordinance applies to new construction and major renovations of facilities of greater than 10,000 square feet of occupied space, to commercial interiors and to existing buildings. The City Council is also exploring the encouragement of green building practices in the private sector.
Contact:
Long Beach, CA:
On November 21, 2006, the Long Beach City Council adopted interim New Green Building Guidelines for Private Development requiring residential and mixed use projects containing 50 or more housing units and commercial and industrial projects over 5,000 sq ft to either earn at minimum LEED Certified or provide third-party verification that the final building design achieves the equivalent of LEED Certified.
In June 2003, the Long Beach City Council adopted a Municipal Green Building Policy, requiring all new municipal buildings over 7,500 sq ft to be LEED for New Construction Certified with the goal of earning LEED for New Construction Silver certification. The policy also requires all municipal building renovation that encompasses over 50% of the building’s total square footage to be LEED for Existing Buildings Certified. Expedited permitting, FAR bonuses, and other incentives will be developed for private developments that earn LEED Certification or better.
Contact:
City of Long Beach; 562-570-6555; http://www.ci.long-beach.ca.us/
Los Altos, CA:
On October 23, 2007 the Los Altos City Council approved a green building ordinance, adding Chapter 12.66 to Los Altos Municipal Code that requires all future public buildings of 7,500 square feet or larger to be designed to perform at least 15% more efficiently than CA Title 24 and to achieve LEED Silver certification. Prior to issuing a formal certificate of occupancy, the city will verify proof of certification.
The ordinance also requires that all public and commercial buildings are designed to perform 15% better than Title 24 of California Code of Regulations. Single and multi-family homes must be GreenPoint rated.
http://ordlink.com/codes/losaltos/index.htm (Chapter 12.66)
Contact:
Kirk Ballard, Building Official; City of Los Altos Building Department; (650) 947-2752
Los Altos Hills, CA:
On October 9, 2008, the Los Altos Hill Town Council adopted an ordinance requiring all new municipal building over 1,000 sq ft to achieve at minimum LEED Certification. New residential projects and major additions must achieve LEED Certification under LEED for Homes or 50 points on the GreenPoint checklist. Residential projects that achieve LEED Silver certification shall qualify for expedited building plan review. Residential projects that achieve LEED Gold certification shall qualify for guaranteed building inspections within two working days of a request for inspection. Residential projects that achieve LEED Platinum shall receive a customized plaque recognizing the special achievement.
http://www.losaltoshills.ca.gov/documents/city_council_meetings/2008/LAH_City_Council_2008-10-09/LAHCC_20081009_AI04.pdf (scroll down to page 2)
Contact:
Los Angeles, CA:
On April 22, 2008 Mayor Villaraigosa signed the Private Sector Green Building Plan into law, requiring all private development of 50,000 square feet or greater to earn LEED Certified and offering expedited plan review and permitting for all projects seeking LEED Silver, as verified by LEED Accredited city officials. The law further commits City resources towards the ongoing review and improvement of City codes, removing obstacles to green building. Furthermore, the law creates a cross-departmental Sustainability Team to revise green building policies and engage the development community, directs the City to continue to work with DWP to offer financial incentives for green building, directs that certain city staff be trained as LEED APs, and establishes the Mayor’s Annual Award of Excellence in Sustainable Design & Construction. Click here to view the press release.
On March 14, 2007, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners, who are appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council, amended the Rules Governing Water and Electric Service to provide expedited water and electrical connections for buildings that meet LEED Silver. LADWP has also adopted a policy to require that its construction projects meet LEED Silver. In addition, builders and developers can take advantage of the LADWP Green Building Incentive that offers up to $250,000 in financial incentives to assist a building in becoming more green and meeting LEED standards.
Incentive Program: http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp008821.jsp
LADWP Decision: http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp009184.jsp
Contact:
LADWP Energy Efficiency Team; (213) 367-4134;
In August, 2006 the LA Department of Building and Safety Board passed a motion to initiate a Priority Plan Check for Green Building Projects for projects with proof of registration with USGBC at the Silver level.
Contact:
LA Department of Buildings and Safety; (213) 473-3231
On April 19, 2002, the Los Angeles City Council adopted the City of Los Angeles Sustainable Building Initiative, requiring all city-owned and city-funded construction projects of 7,500 square feet or larger and constructed after July 1, 2003 to earn LEED Certified. On May 15, 2000 LA City Council Motion #18 called for the Department of Public Works to construct its buildings to LEED Certified, laying the groundwork for the 2002 city-wide public sector adoption.
View the Sustainable Building Initiative Booklet here: http://eng.lacity.org/projects/sdip/docs/SustainableBuildingInitiativeActionPlanFinal043003.pdf
View the City’s LEED project status document: http://eng.lacity.org/projects/sdip/docs/leedprojecstatus.pdf
Contact:
Deborah Weintraub, City Architect; (213) 485-5499
Los Angeles County, CA:
On January 16, 2007, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted the Los Angeles County Sustainable Design Program, requiring all new County buildings over 10,000 square feet to earn LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Madison, WI:
On January 22, 2008, the Madison City Council adopted Resolution 08-00109, requiring all new municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification. The resolution also encourages private developers to follow LEED Guidelines and pursue LEED Certification.
The Madison City Council adopted a policy that all municipal projects over $1 million will achieve LEED for New Construction certification in addition to any new commercial and multifamily buildings that receive public funding. The city will also develop municipal projects to showcase LEED for Existing Buildings.
http://www3.uwm.edu/Dept/shwec/publications/cabinet/pdf/GreenCapitalReport_Secure.pdf
Contact:
Sherri Gruder, University of Wisconsin Extension, Solid & Hazardous Waste Education Center; (608) 262-0398; gruder@engr.wisc.edu
Mansfield, CT:
On October 25, 2004, the Mansfield Town Council adopted a Policy Regarding the Use of LEED Building Standards for Mansfield buildings requiring that all municipal buildings must be built using the most recent version of the LEED checklist to the greatest extent practicable.
Contact:
Mecklenburg County, NC:
On December 18, 2007 the Mecklenberg County Board of Commissioners approved an amendment to the County Fee Ordinance to include the Green Building Rebate Program, offering permit fee rebates to projects with proof of LEED certification. Rebates increase proportionate to the level of certification achieved: 10% reductions for LEED Certified, 15% for LEED Silver, 20% for LEED Gold and 25% for LEED Platinum. Projects with proof of other nationally-recognized green building rating systems are also eligible.
Contact:
Heidi Pruess, Mecklenburg County, NC; (704) 336-5597; Heidi.Pruess@mecklenburgcountync.gov
Miami-Dade County, FL:
On December 4, 2007, the Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance requiring all new county-owned and county-financed facilities and all major renovations of greater than 50% of replacement cost to achieve LEED Silver. County renovations owned/operated/financed of less than 50% of replacement cost are required to achieve LEED Certified of the appropriate rating system (New Construction, Existing Buildings, Commercial Interiors, Core and Shell).
In May of 2006, Miami-Dade County passed an ordinance to require all new municipal or publicly-funded construction to incorporate LEED guidelines and principles. The ordinance also offered expedited permit review for all private residential or commercial projects pursuing LEED certification. The policy set forth in the ordinance took effect in January 2007.
On July 25, 2000, Miami-Dade County passed Ordinance #00-98, the Targeted Jobs Incentive Fund Program. This program offers incentives for companies that relocate to Miami-Dade county and create jobs. A company can receive up to $1,000 if they operate their business out of a building or facility that is LEED certified.
Contact:
Doug Yoder, Assistant Director; Miami-Dade Environmental Resources Management Department; (305) 372-6766
Miami Lakes, FL:
On July 10, 2007, the Miami Lakes Town Council adopted Ordinance #07-92, establishing the Town of Miami Lakes Green Building Program. The program combines incentives and requirements for buildings whose costs exceed $50,000. Grants are available for residential building owners who prove minimum compliance with LEED-NC, LEED-CS and LEED-EB and homeowners who prove minimum compliance with LEED for Homes. Reduction of permitting fees is available for commercial applicants that prove minimum compliance with LEED-NC, LEED-CS, LEED-CI, LEED-EB and LEED for Schools. The ordinance requires that all new municipal construction greater than 5,000 square feet and renovations of greater than $200,000 participate in the program, achieving a minimum of LEED Certified for the appropriate building type. Projects receiving greater than 50% funding from the Town are also required to achieve a minimum of LEED Certified.
Contact:
Minneapolis, MN:
On July 21, 2006, the City of Minneapolis passed Resolution 2006R-381 requiring that all city-financed municipal projects achieve LEED certification. All new construction or major renovations of municipal projects over 5,000 square feet will achieve LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Monroe County, NY:
On June 14, 2007, Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks launched an initiative that requires adherence to LEED standards for new county buildings and major renovations of greater than 5,000 gsf. The initiative also directs the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency to extend tax abatements from 10 to 14 years and adopt any further green building incentives to encourage the private sector to implement LEED.
Contact:
Monte Sereno, CA:
On February 19, 2008, the Monte Sereno City Council adopted Resolution 3326, requiring all new or renovated municipal building over 5,000 sq ft to achieve LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Monterey, CA:
On July 1, 2008, the Monterey City Council adopted an ordinance requiring that all new municipal buildings earn LEED Silver certification. The ordinance also requires all new private commercial buildings to follow the LEED for New Construction guidelines and all new private residential buildings to follow the Build It Green’s New Construction Green Building Guidelines.
Contact:
Jeff Condit, Building Safety and Inspection, City of Monterey; condit@ci.monterey.ca.us
http://www.monterey.org/ccncl/packets/2008/080701/3a.pdf (scroll down to page 11)
Montgomery County, MD:
On December 17, 2007, County Executive Leggett signed Bill 37-06, providing property tax credits for buildings that achieve LEED Silver, Gold and Platinum, or their equivalents. Buildings over 10,000 sq ft that earn LEED for New Construction or LEED for Core and Shell certification receive five year tax credits of 25% for achieving Gold and 75% for Platinum. Buildings less than 10,000 sq ft that earn LEED for New Construction or LEED for Core and Shell certification receive five year tax credits of 25% for achieving Silver, 50% for Gold, and 75% for Platinum. Buildings over 10,000 sq ft that earn LEED for Existing Buildings certification receive three year tax credits of 10% for achieving Gold and 50% for Platinum. Buildings less than 10,000 sq ft that earn LEED for Existing Buildings certification receive three year tax credits of 10% for achieving Silver, 25% for Gold, and 50% for Platinum.
On November 28, 2006, the Montgomery County Council approved Bill #17-06, requiring new County buildings over 10,000 sq ft to earn a LEED Silver certification or the equivalent standard. The bill also requires all private commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential buildings over 10,000 sq ft to be LEED Certified or the equivalent standard.
Contact:
Kathleen Boucher, Senior Legislative Attorney, Montgomery County, MD; 240-777-7940; Kathleen.boucher@montgomerycountymd.gov
www.schools2green.org
Morgantown, WV:
In September 2006, the City of Morgantown passed a resolution adopting the LEED Certified level as minimum for new construction and major renovation projects of city-owned, managed, or operated facilities and buildings over 10,000 square feet.
Contact:
Donald Spencer, Morgantown City Council Member; dlspencer@adelphia.net
Mountain Village, CO:
On June 21, 2007, the Town Council of Mountain Village passed Ordinance #2007-05, adopting a prescriptive energy code and green building standards. The ordinance contains a number of enhanced requirements for superior energy performance and green building practices for residential construction and requires all new commercial buildings to achieve LEED Certified or “an equivalent.”
Contact:
Multnomah County, OR:
On January 17, 2008, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners adopted Resolution 08-004 requiring that all new construction of County-owned buildings achieve LEED for New Construction Gold certification with a minimum of seven points earned in EAc1 (Optimized Energy Performance). The resolution also requires all major renovation projects of County-owned buildings to earn LEED for Commercial Interiors Gold certification. LEED Gold is also required for major renovations of County-leased space of 10,000 sq ft or greater. The resolution also states that all existing County-owned facilities will be operated and maintained following minimum guidelines for LEED Silver of LEED for Existing Buildings.
Contact:
Nashville, TN:
On June 5, 2008, the Nashville City Council approved Ordinance #BL2008-217 establishing a “Green Permit” for new residential and commercial buildings. In order to receive a green certificate of occupancy commercial buildings must earn LEED Certified, specifically requiring WEc3.1 (20% Water Use Reduction); residential buildings must submit proof of LEED or EarthCraft Homes certification.
On June 5, 2007, Mayor Bill Purcell signed Substitute Ordinance #BL2007-1374 into law, amending Title 16 of the Metropolitan Code regarding sustainable building design standards for new and renovated Metropolitan Government buildings and facilities. This bill requires all public and publicly-funded building projects of 5,000 ft2 or greater (or exceeding $2M in project costs) be designed and built to LEED Silver certification of the most appropriate LEED Rating System. The provisions of this ordinance also apply to renovations of equal size or cost, but do not apply to buildings that are mostly unoccupied or provide specialized functions. All city-funded construction projects are required to complete a LEED scorecard and are strongly encouraged to maximize use of sustainable design principles.
On Feb. 22, 2007, the Nashville Planning Commission approved a density bonus for applying LEED to construction projects in certain neighborhood districts. In the downtown area, development in the Central Business District is eligible to increase the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) cap from 15 to 17 if the project achieves LEED Silver. Projects in this district benefit from a FAR of 19 if the project achieves LEED Gold. In the SoBro neighborhoods, developments are eligible to increase the FAR cap from 5 to 7 if the project achieves LEED Silver. Projects in these neighborhoods benefit from a FAR cap of 9 if LEED Gold is achieved. Read the report.
The Nashville Planning Commission’s February, 2007 report also encourages, but does not require, that all new development in Downtown be LEED Certified.
Contact:
Terrence L Cobb, Director; Department of Codes & Building Safety; (615) 862-6549; terry.cobb@nashville.org
Nassau County, NY:
On July 30, 2007 Nassau County legislators unanimously approved a policy to incorporate LEED in the design, construction and renovation of all county buildings.
Contact:
New Albany, OH:
On October 21, 2008, the New Albany Village Council adopted Ordinance O-34-2008, enacting a green building incentive program for new commercial buildings. New buildings that achieve the minimum New Albany Village green building standard will receive a 20% reduction in commercial building permit application fees. Buildings with minor renovations that achieve the minimum New Albany Village green building standard will receive a 20% reduction in application fees for minor renovations. Buildings with major renovations that achieve the minimum New Albany Village green building standard will receive a 20% reduction in commercial building permit application fees. Buildings that achieve a level of LEED certification will receive an additional fee reduction incentive on a sliding scale: 1% for LEED Certified, 2% for LEED Silver certification, 3% for LEED Gold certification, and 5% for LEED Platinum certification.
Contact: Betty Bosko, Clerk of Council; bbosko@villageofnewalbany.org
New York, NY:
On October 3, 2005, Mayor Bloomberg signed Local Law 86, requiring all municipal construction over $2 million, including new buildings, additions to existing buildings, and major renovations to earn at minimum a LEED Silver certification. Non-residential, capital projects costing over $2 million and funded at least 50% or $10 million by the city must earn LEED Silver certification. Schools and hospitals must earn LEED Certified. The law became effective January 1, 2007.
Department of Design and Construction: http://www.nyc.gov/html/ddc/html/ddcgreen/ll86.html
Contact:
Normal, IL:
On March 18, 2002 the Town of Normal passed Ordinance 4825 (Section 15.17-14) requiring LEED certification in the Central Business District for public or private new construction over 7,500 sq. ft. at ground level.
Contact:
Mercy Davison, Town Planner; mdavison@normal.org
Northbrook, IL:
On May 13, 2008, the Northbrook Village Board of Trustees adopted Ordinance 08-24, requiring all municipal construction be at minimum LEED Certified. The Ordinance also establishes the Green Building Initiative incentive program to reward projects that seek LEED certification. These projects receive expedited permitting and review and are eligible for permit fee rebates of 10% for LEED Certified projects, 20% for LEED Silver, 30% for LEED Gold, and 40% for LEED Platinum. Projects that achieve any of the following LEED credits can receive an additional 1% fee rebate for every credit achieved: SSc6.1, SSc6.2, WEc1.1, WEc2, and WEc3.1. Projects enrolled in the Green Building Program are also featured in a Village website and newsletter promoting the Green Building Program.
Contact:
Novi, MI:
On September 24, 2007, the City of Novi City Council passed a resolution adopting LEED as the rating system of choice for the City of Novi. The resolution encouraged adherence to LEED standards and criteria in local private development and charged the City to consider greening the City’s building policies.
A second resolution on the same day directed all future civic building projects to adhere to LEED criteria to the greatest extent feasible.
See both resolutions here.
Contact:
Oakland, CA:
In April 2005, the City of Oakland City Council adopted a Green Building Ordinance requiring municipal projects, including new construction and renovation with a minimum construction cost of $3 million, to achieve LEED Silver certification. The ordinance was added to the Oakland Municipal Code under Chapter 15.35.
Oakland’s 2005 Ordinance also promotes the use of green building strategies in private sector development by offering free technical assistance, green building guidelines and public promotion for qualified projects.
Contact:
Ferial Mosley, Recycling Specialist, City of Oakland; (510) 238-7433; fmosley@oaklandnet.com
Onondaga County, NY:
On November 13, 2008, the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency amended the Uniform Tax Exemption Policyto provide payments in lieu of taxes credits on a graduated scale to new construction projects that achieve LEED certification. Buildings that achieve LEED Certified will get a base credit of 4.8% of construction costs. Achieving LEED Silver certification will earn an 8.4% credit, LEED Gold certification will earn a 12% credit and LEED Platinum certification earns a 15.6% credit.
Contact: Greg Hitchin, OCIDA, (315) 435-3770
Oro Valley, AZ:
On August 23, 2007, Mayor Loomis signed into law the city council’s Resolution #07-94 requiring that all new town buildings and additions to existing town buildings be built to achieve a minimum of LEED Silver. The resolution directs the Town administration to achieve LEED Gold or LEED Platinum as project resources and conditions permit.
http://www.townoforovalley.com/TownClerk/DocumentSearch/ArchiveSearch.htm (Search for Resolution 07-94)
Contact:
Office of the Oro Valley Town Manager; (520) 229-4700
Palo Alto, CA:
On May 12, 2008, the Palo Alto City Council adopted Ordinance 237:08 requiring all new commercial construction larger than 5,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification and all commercial renovations over 5,000 sq ft or $500,000 to earn LEED Certified. For residential construction and major renovation, the ordinance also requires that applicable projects earn minimum scores from Build It Green’s GreenPoint rating system.
Contact:
Kristin Heinen, Sustainability/Associate Planner, City of Palo Alto, 650.329.2189; kristin.heinen@cityofpaloalto.org
Pasadena, CA:
On April 7, 2008, the Pasadena City Council adopted Ordinance 7137, requiring all new municipal buildings and all municipal renovations over 15,000 sq ft to earn a minimum of LEED Silver certification. The Ordinance also requires new commercial buildings over 50,000 sq ft to earn a minimum of LEED Silver certification. All projects covered by this ordinance must achieve earn LEED credit WEc3.1, Water Efficiency.
http://www.cityofpasadena.net/councilagendas/2008%20agendas/Apr_07_08/9B1.pdf
On December 19, 2005, the City Council passed Ordinance #7031, effective April 2006, requiring all new commercial and residential construction to achieve the LEED Certified level at a minimum. This includes commercial construction of 25,000 square feet or more, residential buildings at least four stories high, and city buildings of 5,000 square feet or more. Find Ordinance #7031 under title 14 chapter 14.90.
Developers who exceed the minimum certification will qualify for a rebate from Pasadena Water and Power. The PWP High-Performance Building Program matches one month’s electricity savings for each percent efficiency better than code that the building performs (capped at $100,000). Additionally, developers who include affordable housing will earn a construction tax rebate of $1000 per unit. PWP’s Pasadena LEED Certification Program offers $15,000 grants for applicants who achieve LEED Certified ($20,000 for Silver, $25,000 for Gold and $30,000 for Platinum).
Contact:
Alice Sterling, Green Building Coordinator; City of Pasadena; (626) 744-3726; asterling@cityofpasadena.net
Philadelphia, PA:
On April 25, 2007, the City of Philadelphia adopted a Local Climate Action Plan and Executive Order #1-07 was issued from Mayor Streets’ office. The climate action plan and the executive order both require all new municipal construction and major renovation projects over 10,000 square feet to achieve LEED Silver.
Both the climate action plan and the executive order require various city departments, including that of procurement, to operate more sustainably and create the Office of Sustainability and Environment. These policies are the result of recommendations from the inter-agency sustainability working group, constituted in the summer of 2006.
Contact:
John Hoch, Senior Planner; Philadelphia City Planning Commission; (215) 683-4653; John.Haak@phila.gov
Phoenix, AZ:
On June 21, 2005, the Phoenix City Council adopted a policy requiring all new municipal buildings built with 2006 Bond Funds be LEED Certified. In 2006, the City Building Standards were revised to include additional efficiency measures, including supplemental requirements to the LEED standards and a requirement for a LEED AP to be on the design team.
http://phoenix.gov/PAGENDAC/packhtml.html#acon2
Contact:
Mark Wilhelm, Green Ideas, Inc.; (602) 512-0558; mark@egreenideas.com
Pittsburgh, PA:
On November 26, 2007, the Pittsburgh City Council approved an amendment to The Pittsburgh Code entitled “Sustainable Development Bonuses,” granting a density bonus of an additional 20% Floor Area Ratio and an additional variance of 20% of the permitted height for all projects that earn LEED for New Construction or LEED for Core and Shell certification. The bonus is available in all nonresidential zoning districts.
Contact:
Dan Gilman, Chief of Staff for Council Member Peduto; (412) 255-2133; daniel.gilman@city.pittsburgh.pa.us
Plano, TX:
On January 8, 2007, the city adopted a policy to finance, plan, design, construct, manage, renovate, and maintain its facilities and buildings to be sustainable. The city will use the LEED rating system for new construction and major remodels, and will require the highest level of LEED certification possible for all city facilities.
Contact:
Pleasanton, CA:
The City Council adopted Ordinance #1873 in December 2002 requiring all commercial construction projects over 20,000 square feet to follow guidelines to meet LEED Certified. Formal certification with USGBC is encouraged but not required.
Contact:
Heidi Kline, Associate Planner; (925) 931-5609; hkline@ci.pleasanton.ca.us
Portland, OR:
On April 27, 2005, Portland passed a resolution requiring all new public projects to achieve LEED Gold certification, all city-owned, occupied, existing buildings to achieve LEED for Existing Buildings at the Silver level, and all tenant improvements or leased facilities to achieve LEED for Commercial Interiors at the Silver level and/or G/Rated Tenant Improvement Guide certification. The city has also developed a Portland LEED supplement.
On June 22, 2005, the Portland Development Commission (PDC) adopted Resolution 6262, requiring all private development over 10,000 sq ft and receiving financial assistance from the PDC and other public agencies, including fee or tax waivers, equal or greater to 10% of the total project cost to earn LEED Silver certification.
http://www.portlandonline.com/osd/index.cfm?c=41481
Contact:
Office of Sustainable Development, City of Portland Green Building Program; (503) 823-7222
Portsmouth, NH:
Through an update in its zoning ordinance on April 4, 2007, the City Council of Portsmouth adopted a density bonus (see page 90) for private projects that use LEED. In Central Business [district] A, projects benefit from a 0.5 increase in Floor Area Ratio that meet appropriate open space requirements and that also build to a minimum of LEED Certified.
Contact:
Peter Britz, Environmental Planner, City of Portsmouth, NH; (603) 610-7215; plbritz@ch.cityofportsmouth.com
Princeton, NJ:
The Princeton Borough and Township amended their master plan in 2005 to encourage the use of LEED in the design, construction, and operation of all public facilities and publicly-funded projects.
Contact:
Athena Sarafides, NJDEP; (609) 633-1161; athena.sarafides@dep.state.nj.us
Queen Creek, AZ:
On August 1, 2007, the Queen Creek Town Council unanimously approved a green building policy requiring all public buildings over 5,000 square feet to achieve LEED Certified.
Contact:
Rochester Hills, MI:
In the fall of 2006, the Town of Rochester Hills developed a Master Land Use Plan requiring all new construction and major renovations of municipal buildings to achieve LEED certification. Incentives for private commercial and residential construction pursuing LEED certification are being developed.
Contact:
Rohnert Park, CA:
In February and March, 2007 the City of Rohnert Park adopted a green building ordinance and two subsequent resolutions addressing nearly all building types. Effective July 1, new commercial buildings, retrofits and remodelings of commercial-interiors for both the public and the private sector must meet a variety of minimum standards ranging from LEED Certified or equivalent to LEED Silver based on a three-tiered matrix by project type. City-owned and city-funded projects greater than 20,000 square feet require LEED Silver. Slightly lower thresholds are required for smaller projects.
This legislation further requires compliance with other green building rating and certification systems for residential construction.
The city also passed an energy efficiency ordinance applying to all residential construction permit applicants after April 27, 2007.
http://www.rpcity.org/content/view/468/183/
Contact:
Sacramento, CA:
On September 21, 2004, Mayor Heather Fargo signed Resolution #2004-751 requiring LEED certification of all city projects. For projects over 5,000 ft2 the city has a goal of LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Keith Roberts, City of Sacramento General Services; (916) 808-4726; kRoberts@cityofsacramento.org
Salt Lake City, UT:
In July 2005, Mayor Anderson signed an executive order requiring all new city-constructed buildings and major renovations over 10,000 ft2 to be LEED certified. On January 19, 2006, he amended the order to require LEED Silver certification for these buildings.
http://www.slcgreen.com/pdf/execorderLEED.pdf
Contact:
Orion Goff, Building Official; (801) 535-6681; Orion.goff@slcgov.com
On November 7, 2006, the City Council passed Ordinance #78 Enacting Chapter 18.95 of the Salt Lake City Code. The ordinance endorses Mayor Anderson’s executive order that municipal buildings achieve LEED certification. The ordinance also requires commercial, condo, or apartments buildings funded by the city through grants, loans, or tax breaks to adhere to LEED standards.
San Antonio, TX:
On April 19, 2007, the San Antonio City Council passed Resolution 1208 that requires all new buildings funded and constructed by the City to be built to LEED Silver certification level.
Ordinance: http://epay.sanantonio.gov/rfcadocs/R_1208_20070424085340.pdf
On June 15, 2006, the San Antonio City Council adopted Ordinance #2006-06-15-0722 that approves Phase II of the City’s Incentive Scorecard System and authorizes administrative waiver or reduction of certain development fees for projects reaching specified scores from the scorecard. Points are awarded for projects achieving LEED for New Construction or LEED for Homes certification.
Ordinance: http://www.sanantonio.gov/clerk/minutes/2006/20060616.mht
Scorecard and incentives: www.sanantonio.gov/incentives
Contact:
Nancy Sheppard, City of San Antonio Economic Development Department; (210) 207-8204; nancys@sanantonio.gov
San Bernardino County, CA:
On August 28, 2007 the County Board of Supervisors passed several measures to advance green building within the county. All new county construction and major renovations will be required to meet LEED Silver. Priority plan review will also be offered to homebuilders who meet certain sustainable criteria. The county is also developing a website to educate the public on green building principles.
http://www.greencountysb.com/
Contact:
San Diego, CA:
San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy included requiring LEED Silver certification of all municipal projects among his 10 goals for the year in his 2002 State of the City Address. The city subsequently adopted LEED for all public projects over 5,000 sq ft in April, 2002.
In addition to its public sector adoptions, in 2002 San Diego developed the Sustainable Building Expedite Program that uses LEED criteria and provides significant plan review and construction incentives. Private sector buildings registering for LEED certification may be eligible to receive technical green building training, support, and education. Commercial projects achieving LEED Silver certification will benefit from expedited discretionary processes.
http://www.sdenergy.org/
Contact:
Tom Blair, Environmental Services; (858) 492-6001
San Francisco, CA
On August 4, 2008, Mayor Newsom signed the San Francisco Green Building Ordinance, requiring proof of green building practices and LEED certification for all residential and commercial buildings in the City. Small residential building projects, less than 75 feet tall and with four or less units, must submit a Build It Green New Home Construction Checklist and midsize, multifamily building projects must submit a Build It Green Multifamily Checklist. The Ordinance also requires residential buildings over 75 feet to be LEED Certified and earn specific credits addressing water efficiency, stormwater management and construction waste management (WEc1.1, WEc3.1, MRc2.1, SSc6.1 and SSc6.2). After January 1, 2010, these buildings must earn LEED Silver certification. The Ordinance further requires commercial buildings between 5,000 and 25,000 sq ft and no more than 75 ft tall must complete a LEED Checklist beginning January 1, 2009 with five specific credits addressing water efficiency, stormwater management and construction waste management (WEc1.1, WEc3.1, MRc2.1, SSc6.1 and SSc6.2) required in 2010, six in 2011, and seven in 2012. Commercial buildings over 25,000 sq ft and taller than 75 ft must be LEED Certified, with the minimum increasing to LEED Silver January 1, 2009 and LEED Gold January 1, 2012. These buildings must earn specific credits addressing water efficiency, stormwater management and construction waste management (WEc1.1, WEc3.1, MRc2.1, SSc6.1 and SSc6.2). Major renovations to commercial buildings over 25,000 sq ft must be LEED Certified, with the minimum increasing to LEED Silver January 1, 2009 and LEED Gold January 1, 2012.
On September 28, 2006, the Director of the San Francisco Planning Department issued Director’s Bulletin 2006-02 giving priority permit review to all new and renovated buildings that achieve LEED Gold certification.
On May 18, 2004, the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco, CA adopted Ordinance #88-04 (adding a new Chapter 7 to the Environment Code) requiring all municipal new construction, additions and major renovation projects over 5,000 sq ft starting conceptual design on or after September 18 to achieve a LEED Silver certification. The ordinance also requires that a LEED Accredited Professional be a member of each design team.
Contact:
Mark Palmer, Green Building Coordinator; San Francisco Department of the Environment; (415) 355-3710; mark.palmer@sfgov.org
Rich Chien, Residential Green Building Coordinator; San Francisco Department of the Environment; richard.chien@sfgov.org
San José, CA:
On October 7, 2008, the San Jose City Council adopted a Private Sector Green Building Policy, requiring all new Tier 1 commercial and industrial buildings under 25,000 sq ft to follow the LEED checklist by 2009 and all new Tier 1 commercial and industrial buildings under 10,000 sq ft to follow the LEED checklist by 2012. The policy also requires all new Tier 2 commercial and industrial buildings larger than 25,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification by 2009 and all new Tier 2 commercial and industrial buildings larger than 10,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification by 2012. New residential buildings with less than 10 units must follow the Green Points or LEED checklist by 2009 and new residential buildings with 10 or more units must earn LEED Certification or 50 points from Green Points. New residential buildings over 75 feet tall must earn LEED certified by 2009 and LEED Silver certification by 2012.
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/Agenda/20081007/20081007_0702.pdf (scroll down to page 14)
The City of San José adopted a green building policy in 2001 requiring LEED certification of all municipal projects over 10,000 square feet.
On March 6 2007, the City Council unanimously voted to adopt a revised green building policy that requires all new municipal buildings over 10,000 square feet to be constructed to achieve LEED Silver at a minimum, with a goal of reaching LEED Gold or Platinum. The policy, first introduced last year, will apply to all new projects budgeted for fiscal year 2007-2008 and thereafter.
Contact:
Mary Tucker, City of San Jose; (408) 975-2581; mary.tucker@sanjoseca.gov
San Mateo County, CA:
On February 26, 2008, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance 04411, requiring all new commercial and industrial buildings and building additions over 3,000 sq ft to be LEED Certified. The Ordinance further provides expedited permitting for projects earning a minimum of LEED Silver certification. The ordinance also requires all new residential buildings to earn LEED for Homes Certified or earn 50 Green Points on the appropriate GreenPoint Rated checklist, with expedited permitting available to LEED for Homes certified projects and projects GreenPoint Rated at 75 points or higher.
San Mateo County adopted a Sustainable Building Policy December 11, 2001. The policy requires new projects and additions that are built by the County and greater than 5000 sq. ft. to achieve certification at the highest practicable LEED rating level. Smaller projects are encouraged to follow LEED standards but are not required to submit documentation for certification.
In addition to the policy, the County offers information on green building and is developing a Countywide Green Building Program.
Sustainable Building Policy: http://www.recycleworks.org/greenbuilding/sus_building_policy.html
Contact:
Jill Boone, RecycleWorks Programs Manager, Green Building Coordinator; (650) 599-1433; jill@RecycleWorks.org
San Rafael, CA:
On July 2, 2007, The San Rafael City Council approved the Planning Commission’s recommendations to adopt green building standards for the City. New or renovated civic and commercial construction exceeding 5,000 square feet is required to meet the equivalent of LEED Certified, as verified by a LEED AP. New or renovated commercial construction exceeding 30,000 square feet is required to achieve LEED Silver certification. Residential projects must achieve a minimum level of Build it Green’s Green Point Rated system.
Contact:
Community Development Department; (415) 485-3085
Santa Clara, CA:
On December 4, 2007, the Santa Clara City Council adopted a Near Term Policy on Green Building Strategy requiring all future public buildings greater than 5,000 square feet to achieve LEED Silver certification, formally recognizing the USGBC’s and Build it Green’s green building rating systems, and requiring a completed LEED or GreenPoint Rated checklist with each planning application.
Contact:
Santa Clarita, CA:
On August 23, 2005, the Santa Clarita City Council adopted Resolution 05-103, requiring new municipal construction to earn LEED Silver certification and all renovation of municipal buildings to follow LEED for Existing Building guidelines. The Resolution also encourages private developers to follow LEED guidelines.
Contact:
http://www.santa-clarita.com/cityhall/admin/purchasing/resolutions/05-103%20%20EPP.htm (scroll down to Section 3.6)
Santa Cruz, CA:
In 2005, the City of Santa Cruz adopted Ordinance #2005-29 amending the municipal code to establish a green building program. As of January 1, 2007, all residential and commercial buildings that are new, remodeled, or undergo alterations are subject to compliance with green building standards such as LEED.
Contact:
Santa Monica, CA:
On April 22, 2008, the Santa Monica City Council adopted Ordinance 2261, amending the City green building codes to require all new single-family and multi-family residences under four stories to submit a LEED for Homes checklist, a GreenPoint Rated checklist, or a Santa Monica green building checklist. The ordinance requires all other new buildings to submit a LEED for New Construction checklist. The ordinance also provides expedited permitting for new projects registered with LEED for New Construction, LEED for Homes, and LEED for Core and Shell.
On August 9, 2005, the Santa Monica City Council adopted Ordinance 2165, allowing projects registered with LEED for New Construction, LEED for Homes, and LEED for Core and Shell to receive expedited permitting.
http://www01.smgov.net/cityclerk/council/agendas/2005/20050913/wm20050809.htm (scroll down to item 7-C)
On January 23, 2004, the City of Santa Monica launched the Santa Monica Green Building LEED Grant Program, providing financial incentives for private developers who earn LEED certification. The grants start at $20,000 for projects that earn LEED Certified and increase in $5,000 increments to $35,000 for projects that earn LEED Platinum certification. On April 22, 2008, the program was expanded to include LEED for Homes certified projects. The grants range from $2,000 to $3,500 for multi-family projects and from $3,000 to $8,000 for single family homes.
In 2000, the Santa Monica City Council adopted, as part of the annual budget, a requirement that all new municipal construction earn at minimum LEED Silver certification.
See Santa Monica’s Green Building Program website for a comprehensive overview of the City’s green building initiatives.
Contact:
Brenden McEneaney, Green Building Program Advisor; City of Santa Monica; (310) 458-8549; brenden.mceneaney@smgov.net
Santa Rosa, CA:
On December 18, 2007, the Santa Rosa City Council adopted Resolution 27001, requiring all new commercial interior projects to demonstrate the achievement of 20 credits on the LEED for Commercial Interiors guidelines.
Contact:
Sarasota County, FL:
On March 18, 2005, the county passed a resolution requiring that all government county buildings be LEED certified. Additionally, the county is providing a fast-track building permit incentive and a 50% reduction in the cost of building permit fees for private contractors who use LEED.
On August 22, 2006, the county approved a Green Development Incentive Resolution (#2006-174) that provides fast-track permitting for residential and commercial green developments. Incentives apply to projects pursuing LEED for Neighborhood Developments or FGBC Green Development Standards.
Contact:
Jodi L. John, Manager, Sustainable Sarasota, Sarasota County Government, (941) 861-5656; jjohn@scgov.net
Scottsdale, AZ:
On March 23, 2005, the City Council unanimously approved Resolution #6644 requiring all new city buildings of any size to achieve LEED Gold and to strive for the highest level of certification whenever project resources and conditions permit. In addition, all future renovations and non-occupied city buildings will be designed, contracted, and built to include as many principles of both the LEED program and the City's Green Building Program as feasible.
This resolution makes Scottsdale the first city in the U.S. to adopt a LEED Gold policy.
Resolution #6644: http://www.ci.scottsdale.az.us/greenbuilding/LEED/LEED_ResNo6644.pdf
City of Scottsdale Green Building Program: http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/greenbuilding/
Contact:
Anthony C. Floyd, City of Scottsdale; (480) 312-4202; afloyd@scottsdaleaz.gov
Seattle, WA:
On April 12, 2006, Mayor Nickels signed zoning legislation that gives a height or density bonus to commercial or residential projects that achieve at least LEED Silver certification and contribute to affordable housing.
In February, 2002, the City of Seattle passed a policy requiring LEED Silver certification of all city-owned projects and renovations over 5,000 gsf. The city is encouraging the private construction sector to incorporate LEED design standards into new and existing buildings by providing economic incentives.
Sustainable Building Policy
Contact:
Peter Dobrovolny, Seattle City Light; (206) 615-1094; peter.dobrovolny@seattle.gov
Shaker Heights, OH:
On May 27, 2003, the Shaker Heights City Council adopted Resolution 03-70, encouraging both municipal and private construction projects to following LEED for New Construction guidelines.
Contact:
Springfield, MO:
On February 25, 2008 the City of Springfield adopted The City of Springfield Green Building Policy, requiring all city-owned new construction projects “of any size and intended for human occupation” to earn LEED Silver certification, further specifying that buildings earn: seven (7) points in EAc1, Optimize Energy Performance; two (2) points in the Water Efficiency category; one (1) point in MRc2, Construction Waste Management; and one (1) point in EAc5, Measurement & Verification. Buildings not intended for human occupation are required by this policy to incorporate LEED to the greatest extent practicable.
The City of Springfield Green Building Policy also requires renovations of city-owned buildings to incorporate LEED for Existing Buildings to the greatest extent practicable, calling for Energy Star appliances wherever possible.
Contact:
Ralph Rognstad Jr., Director of Planning & Development; City of Springfield; (417) 864-1031
St. Louis, MO:
On February 2, 2007, the St. Louis Board of Alderman adopted Ordinance 67414, requiring all newly constructed and renovated municipal facilities greater than 5,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification. In addition, the Ordinance directs the City to apply the principles included in LEED for New Construction, LEED for Commercial Interiors, and LEED for Existing Buildings during retrofit and renovation of existing municipal facilities.
Contact:
Stamford, CT:
On June 4, 2007, the Stamford Board of Representatives adopted Ordinance #1071 requiring all City-owned buildings over 5,000 square feet and buildings where the City leases at least 50% of total space to earn the LEED Silver certification or higher.
http://www.boardofreps.org/Committees/Landuse/2006/items/lu27024/lu27024%20-%20File%20Summary.htm
Contact:
Starkville, MS:
On June 3, 2008, the Starkville Board of Aldermen adopted a sustainability policy requiring that all new municipal construction larger than 3,000 sq ft earn LEED Certified. In addition, the policy formally encourages private commercial and residential buildings to pursue LEED certification.
Contact:
Stockton, CA:
On September 9, 2008, the Stockton City Council adopted Resolution 08-0371, requiring all new municipal buildings that exceed 5,000 sq ft and all new non-residential buildings that exceed 5,000 sq ft to earn at minimum LEED Silver certification or comparable standard. The implementation schedule can be adjusted so that the LEED Silver requirements can be implemented first for non-residential buildings that exceed 20,000 sq ft and later non-residential buildings between 20,000 sq ft and 5,000 sq ft.
Contact:
Suffolk County, NY:
On February 7, 2006, the Suffolk County Legislature passed Resolution 1028-2006 that requires the Department of Public Works to achieve LEED certification of all new construction or major renovation projects over $1 million.
Contact:
Office of Hon. Vivian Viloria-Fisher; (631) 854-1500
Sullivan County, NY:
On September 9, 2007, the Sullivan County Legislature adopted a resolution to further sustainability within the county, requiring all future county facilities to meet LEED guidelines. The resolution also committed to providing technical assistance and education on green building practices to municipalities within Sullivan County.
Contact:
Heather Brown, Sullivan County Planning/Environmental Management; (845) 794-3000x5028; Heather.Brown@co.sullivan.ny.us
Sunnyvale, CA:
On January 26, 2004, the City of Sunnyvale adopted Ordinance #2002-0076, updating the city’s building codes in areas zoned for industrial use to allow a density bonus of 5% FAR for buildings that achieve a minimum of LEED Certified. The municipal code improvement can be found under Title 19.32.075 of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code.
Contact:
Steve Lynch, City of Sunnyvale; (408) 730-2793; SLynch@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us
Syracuse, NY:
On September 10, 2007, the Syracuse Common Council adopted the Green Building Ordinance, requiring all new municipal construction and major renovations to meet LEED Silver. The ordinance also applies to the city’s public schools.
On October 30, 2006, Mayor Matthew J. Driscoll issued a mayoral proclamation directing the City to achieve maximum energy efficiency and environmental sustainability relevant to the scope of the new construction or major renovation at the level of LEED Certified, unless this cannot be accomplished on a cost effective basis. All facilities and buildings are encouraged to achieve higher LEED rating levels, if feasible. This mayoral policy was developed by request of Resolution #27-R, passed by the City Council on July 10, 2006.
Contact:
Tampa, FL:
On June 26, 2008, the Tampa City Council adopted the City of Tampa Sustainability Ordinance, requiring that all new municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft of air conditioned space to earn a minimum of LEED Silver certification and that the renovation of all municipal buildings follow LEED guidelines. The ordinance also offers developers of commercial and multi-family residential buildings a 20-80% rebate on building permit fees, depending on the level of LEED certification that the building earns. The ordinance further offers developers of single family homes a 50% rebate on building permit fees if the building meets the current Green Home Designation Standards of the Florida Green Building Coalition. Finally, the ordinance encourages developers of multi-family and single family homes constructed after October 10, 2008 through any of the City’s affordable housing programs to follow the Florida Green Building Coalition’s Green Home Standard.
http://docserver.tampagov.net/cache/00001/880/Ordinance%20No.%202008-111%20to%202008-118.pdf (scroll down to page 6)
On April 22, 2008 Mayor Iorio issued a policy requiring all new city-owned and operated buildings of 5,000 square feet of air-conditioned space or greater be built to LEED Silver standards.
In June, 2006, the City of Tampa adopted a Strategic Action Plan for the Channel District Community Development Area. The plan offers a density bonus (1.5 FAR maximum) to developers in the Channel District who achieve LEED certification due to the development’s elements of “community enhancement.”
Contact:
Telluride, CO:
On March 29, 2005, the town council of Telluride adopted Ordinance #1236 that established the Town of Telluride Green Building Code. This code requires all new residential construction, additions or remodels to comply with the Town’s checklist of environmental requirements. Projects with proof of compliance with LEED requirements are compliant with the code.
Contact:
Sam Samuelson, Town Building Official; (970) 728-2143; ssamuelson@telluride-co.gov
Temecula, CA:
On July 22, 2008, the Temecula City Council adopted a resolution requiring all new municipal buildings and additions to existing municipal buildings to be LEED Certified. The resolution also encourages new residential buildings to follow the guidelines of the California Green Builder Program.
Contact:
Tucson, AZ:
The City of Tucson passed Resolution #20322 on April 18, 2006 requiring new city construction, major additions, or renovations over 5,000 ft2 to achieve the LEED Silver certification level and to achieve a higher certification level when resources and conditions permit.
http://www.civanoneighbors.com/docs/environment/Resolution%2020322%20signed.pdf
Contact:
Vinnie Hunt, City of Tucson; (520) 791-5111 x311; Vinnie.Hunt@tucsonaz.gov
Tybee Island, GA:
On May 25, 2006, the City of Tybee Island unanimously passed a resolution adopting a green building policy declaring that all new, occupied buildings will achieve the LEED Silver certification level and achieve a higher certification level when conditions and resources permit. Projects designed to the LEED Silver level must have a payback of no more than five years. If payback is anticipated to be over five years, city staff will recommend the level of LEED certification. All renovation projects and non-occupied buildings will include as many principles of LEED and the city’s green building program as possible.
Contact:
Paul Wolff, City of Tybee Island Council Member; tybeeduo@bellsouth.net
Union City, CA:
On March 14, 2006, the Union City City Council adopted Resolution 3136-06, encouraging all commercial and institutional projects to follow the LEED for New Construction checklist and seek LEED certification. The projects are also encouraged to have a LEED Accredited Professional as a principal member of the design team. All residential projects, including both multi-family and single family, are encouraged to follow the Alameda County Green Building Guidelines and achieve standards set by StopWaste.org.
Contact:
Washington, DC:
On December 5, 2006 the Washington DC City Council passed Bill # B16-0515 requiring publicly-owned, non-residential, commercial projects to achieve either LEED for New Construction or LEED for Core and Shell Silver certification. After the summer of 2007 new Public schools will be required to achieve LEED for Schools certification or an equivalent schools rating system that requires commissioning.
In 2008, each tenant of a commercial building that improves a District-owned space of 30,000 square feet or more will be required to achieve LEED for Commercial Interiors certification.
In 2009, all new construction or major renovations to non-residential, private buildings 50,000 square feet or more must submit a green building checklist outlining green features that will be pursued. After 2012, non-residential and post-secondary educational facilities shall achieve LEED for New Construction or LEED for Core and Shell certification.
Bill #B16-0515 also called on the mayor to establish an incentive program for private residential and commercial buildings. Incentives will include an expedited permit review and may also include grants. The mayor will also establish a Green Building Fund for technical assistance and monitoring of green buildings, education, and incentive funding for private buildings.
On February 20, 2008 Mayor Adrian Fenty joined leading mayors across the country in adopting the 30% Solution, supporting energy efficiency reforms to residential energy code.
Contact:
Corey Buffo, General Counsel, District Department of the Environment; (202) 724-7859; Corey.Buffo@dc.gov
Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority, DC:
On July 24, 2008, the Metro Board approved a policy on LEED certification, requiring all new and substantially rehabilitated Metro facilities to be LEED Certified.
Contact:
West Hollywood, CA:
On July 16, 2007, the City Council of West Hollywood passed the Green Building Requirements and Incentives for Private Development with an ordinance requiring residential and commercial projects to meet minimum energy conservation and renewable energy requirements. Applicable projects include new construction, remodeling and tenant improvements. Applicable projects must earn a minimum number of points from the locally-developed West Hollywood Green Points program. Developments that achieve a minimum of LEED Certified are exempt from the requirements of the program. The Ordinance also calls for the establishment of a Green Buildings Resource Center at West Hollywood City Hall.
http://www.newrules.org/electricity/solarwesthollywood.html
In April of 2006, West Hollywood passed Ordinance #06-733, requiring all new, remodeled or public tenant improvement projects of 10,000 square feet or greater to achieve a minimum of LEED Certified. All other publicly-funded buildings are encouraged to achieve the LEED Certified.
Contact:
Steve Bailey, Building Safety Manager; (323) 848-6351
West Linn, OR:
On November 26, 2007, the West Linn City Council adopted a policy requiring all new city buildings to be built to LEED Silver. This policy immediately followed the creation of the Sustainability Advisory Board that will assist the City in implementing a series of recommendations from the West Linn Task Force on Sustainability, founded in 2005.
Contact:
Whatcom County, WA:
On June 7, 2005, Whatcom County passed Resolution #2005-028 that commits the county, where feasible, to meet LEED Silver for the construction of new and renovated county buildings over 5,000 square feet where the county provides the majority of funding.
The resolution also promotes the use of LEED in the private sector.
Contact:
Windsor, CA:
On May 16, 2007, the Windsor Town Council adopted Ordinance 2007-215, requiring all new commercial buildings and all renovations of commercial buildings in which more than 75 percent of the existing building is demolished to achieve a minimum of 20 credits on the LEED checklist. The Ordinance also requires all new residential buildings to achieve a minimum of 50 points on the Green Point rating system.
Contact:
York, ME:
On May 17, 2008, the Town amended the Town Zoning Ordinance to include Article Nine, requiring all municipal buildings and buildings funded by the Town at 75% or more of the total construction cost and exceeding 5,000 gross sq ft to achieve at minimum LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
SCHOOL INITIATIVES – HIGHER EDUCATION [top]
Arizona State University:
The university has a LEED initiative to attain a Silver rating for all new buildings.
http://www.asu.edu/fm/greenbuilding.htm
Contact:
Ray Tena, Facilities Management, ASU; (480) 965-1835; Ray.Tena@asu.edu
Ball State University:
The University adopted a policy in September 2003 requiring new construction to be LEED certified at the highest level possible.
http://www.bsu.edu/cote/media/pdf/091503leedsresolution.pdf
Contact:
Bob Koester, Professor of Architecture & Director; Center for Energy/Research/Education/Service; Ball State University; (765) 285-1136; rkoester@bsu.edu
Bowdoin College:
Bowdoin College’s 2005 Building Design Standards for Renovation Projects provides a framework for sustainable design and draw heavily from the LEED rating system. Two new residential halls are applying for LEED certification.
http://www.bowdoin.edu/sustainablebowdoin/pdf/sustainable-design.pdf
Contact:
Brown University:
The University has a goal to achieve LEED Silver for new construction and major renovation projects.
Contact:
California Polytechnic State University:
On October 23, 2003, the University adopted a resolution for the Student Housing North project, the largest housing project in the history of CSU, to be LEED certified at the highest level feasible.
Resolution for use of LEED: http://www.calpoly.edu/%7Eacadsen/resolutions/2003-2004/AS-605-03-EC.pdf
Associated Students, Inc. Resolution: http://www.asi.calpoly.edu/government/documents/Resolution04-03_Sustainability_and_Future_Campus_Developme..pdf
Sustainability website: http://www.facilities.calpoly.edu/campusprojects/projects/sustainability/index3.htm
Contact:
Margot McDonald, Architecture Department, Cal Poly; (805) 756-1298; mmcdonal@calpoly.edu
Carnegie Mellon:
New construction and significant renovations will achieve LEED certification with the target of LEED Silver certification. The university will also use LEED for Commercial Interiors where applicable for less extensive renovations.
http://www.cmu.edu/greenpractices/green_initiatives/leed_buildings.html
Contact:
Peg Hart, Campus Design and Facility Development; (412) 268-5567; hart@andrew.cmu.edu
Claremont McKenna College:
In May 2007, the Claremont McKenna Board of Trustees adopted the policy that all new construction will earn LEED Silver certification or higher. Also, all significant renovation will follow the LEED standards.
Contact:
Brian Worley, Facilities Director; 909-607-1637; brian.worley@claremontmckenna.edu
Clemson University:
All new construction must achieve a minimum of LEED Silver certification.
http://www.clemson.edu/leed/
Contact:
Connecticut College:
The college adopted a green building policy including a goal to utilize guidelines such as LEED to evaluate the sustainability of construction projects.
http://camel.conncoll.edu/ccrec/greennet/GreenBuildingPolicy.pdf
Contact:
Dartmouth College:
All new construction must achieve LEED certification.
http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7Estplan/imperatives/facilities.html
Contact:
Duke University:
The university aims to have its new buildings and renovations achieve LEED Certified level at a minimum.
http://www.duke.edu/sustainability/buildings.html
Contact:
Emory University:
On February 28, 2001, the Emory University Trustees integrated into the University’s Design and Construction Standards a policy with LEED serving as the guiding principles for all new construction. The 2008 version of the Standards requires all building projects to earn LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Ciannat Howett, Director of Sustainability Initiatives, Emory University, 404-727-5020;ciannat.howett@emory.edu
http://www.fm.emory.edu/emory-std/2008%20Emory%20Design%20and%20Construction%20Standards.pdf (scroll down to page 6)
Florida State University:
On April 20, 2008, Florida State University adopted as part of its 2008 Design Guidelines and Specifications a policy that all new construction and all major renovation to earn, if practicable, LEED Silver certification.
Contact:
Georgia Institute of Technology:
All buildings currently in design must utilize green features and some projects will pursue LEED certification as appropriate.
Campus Master Plan: http://www.space.gatech.edu/masterplan.htm
Contact:
Leslie M. Saunders, Sr., Director, Capital Planning & Space Management; (404) 894-4801; leslie.saunders@spaceplan.gatech.edu
Harvard University:
The Harvard Green Campus Initiative (HGCI) works to support environmental sustainability on campus and encourages buildings to incorporate the LEED rating system where possible. Several campus buildings are pursuing and have achieved LEED certification.
http://www.greencampus.harvard.edu/hpbs/services.php#LEED
Contact:
Mike Crowley, Manager, High Performance Building Service; Michael_Crowley@harvard.edu
Lewis and Clark College:
The university developed a green building strategy that includes constructing new LEED buildings with a goal of LEED Silver certification.
http://www.lclark.edu/dept/lcsc/buildings.html
Contact:
Los Angeles Community College District:
In March 2002, the Los Angeles Community College District adopted the “Sustainability Policy,” requiring LEED certification of all new construction projects in the district that receive at least 50% of their funding from the Bond Program. Funding for this initiative is sustained through Proposition A of 2001 and Proposition AA of 2005, totaling over $2.2 billion for building construction and improvements. The district covers nine campuses and is slated to certify 44 buildings.
LACCD Builds Green: http://www.laccdbuildsgreen.org/_pdfs/laccd_is_building_green/green_fact_sheet_june_2007.pdf
Contact:
Bond Construction Program; (213) 891-2480
Massachusetts Institute of Technology:
All new construction and renovations are required to achieve LEED Silver certification.
http://web.mit.edu/environment/commitment/gbtf.html
Contact:
Northwestern University:
As a standard for design and construction, all new and renovated university buildings will meet the LEED Certified level. Each project will be evaluated on its ability to meet a higher LEED certification level.
http://www.northwestern.edu/fm/environmental_sustainability.htm
Contact:
Omaha Metropolitan Community College:
All new Metropolitan Community College construction projects and sites must meet the minimum level of LEED certification.
Final Plans and Specifications: Policy # 91105; http://www.mccneb.edu/bogpolicies/
Contact:
Patrick Leahy, Chair, Board of Governors of Metropolitan Community College; (402) 399-1101
Peralta Community College District:
On December 11, 2007, the Board of Trustees of the Peralta Community College District revised its Environmental Policy to include requirements to achieve LEED-NC Silver on all new buildings (and major renovations greater than 10,000 square feet) and LEED-EB Certified for all building retrofits of greater than 10,000 square feet. The policy also requires LEED-EB certification of all district buildings within by 2019.
Contact:
Pitzer College:
Pitzer College’s 2003 Housing Master Plan includes a goal to using green design strategies, including LEED. The college is pursuing LEED certification for three new residence halls as part of the Residential Life Project.
http://www.pitzer.edu/offices/advancement/campaign/sustain.asp
Contact:
Pomona College:
The college uses the LEED rating system as one standard of reference for the construction and renovation program.
http://www.pomona.edu/cpm/environpolicy.shtml
Contact:
Princeton University:
New construction and major renovation projects are encouraged to use LEED in the design phase and to submit their LEED scorecard to the university before official submission.
http://facilities.princeton.edu/DesignConstruction/designstandards/_pdf/1.2.pdf
Contact:
Rice University:
In August 2006, the university committed to build all future, new construction projects to meet any level of LEED certification.
http://sustainability.rice.edu/index.cfm?doc_id=7318
See the press release.
Contact:
Santa Clara University:
The university has a goal of LEED certification on all new projects. LEED criteria are being applied to major renovations and smaller projects.
Contact:
Joe Sugg; (408) 551-1606; jsugg@scu.edu
State University of New York:
All new construction is encouraged to follow LEED guidelines as per Executive Order #111, June 2001.
http://www.nyserda.org/programs/exorder111.asp
SUNY- University of Buffalo has created it’s own High Performance Building Guidelines.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/ubgreen/guidelines.html
Contact:
University of California:
All new buildings on the University of California campuses, except for laboratories and acute care facilities, proposed for construction after July 2004, must meet a minimum of LEED Certified level. Campuses will aim for LEED Silver whenever possible. Laboratories will aim to achieve LEED Certified rating as appropriate.
The university is exploring using LEED for Existing Buildings. http://www.ucop.edu/facil/greenbldgs/
Contact:
University of Central Florida:
In 2006, the university adopted LEED Silver for buildings that are new or undergo major renovations.
http://www.fp.ucf.edu/guides/construction_requirements.pdf
Contact:
University of Cincinnati:
New construction must achieve LEED certification with a target of Gold. http://www.uc.edu/architect/documents/design/sustain1.pdf
Contact:
University of Connecticut:
In March 2007, the Board of Trustees adopted a new Sustainable Design & Construction Policy, which requires all new building and renovation projects at the university costing $5 million or more to meet LEED Silver.
Contact:
University of Florida:
The University of Florida requires all new construction and major renovation projects to be LEED certified.
http://www.facilities.ufl.edu/sustain/index.htm
Contact:
Bahar Armaghani, University of Florida; Facilities, Planning, Construction; (352) 294-0080; barmagh@ufl.edu
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill:
The university will use LEED guidelines to develop a sustainability program for new projects.
Contact:
University of Oregon:
All new construction projects must meet LEED certification.
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/%7Euplan/sustainable.html#sustplan
Contact:
University of Richmond:
In November of 2000, the Board of Trustees of the University of Richmond issued a Campus Master Plan (CMP) will commit “to making its construction projects environmentally responsible.” The written commitment identifies that the University will devote at least 1.5% of the total construction costs for each project toward sustainable design specifications that are consistent with the LEED rating system. Certification with U.S. Green Building Council is encouraged, but not required. The CMP also directs at least one member of the University facilities staff to become a LEED AP.
Contact:
Andrew McBride, AIA, LEED AP, University Architect; University of Richmond; (804) 289-8964; amcbride@richmond.edu
University of South Carolina:
The University of South Carolina has created Sustainable Design Guidelines, which provide a tool to assist decision makers, designers, and contractors as they incorporate sustainability into all future construction projects and renovations on campus. The University is committed to pursuing LEED goals in all building construction projects, and all projects are expected to apply the sustainable guidelines to the greatest extent possible.
http://www.housing.sc.edu/sustainmain.asp
Contact:
Michael Koman, University of South Carolina; (803) 777-1986; komanmd@gwm.sc.edu
University of Tennessee at Knoxville:
On September 11, 2007 UT-Knoxville Chancellor Loren Crabtree signed the Talloires Declaration and the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. As a step towards fulfilling those commitments, the Chancellor announced the University’s new policy that requires all new buildings or major renovations on main campus costing a minimum of $5 million to achieve LEED certification.
Contact:
University of Vermont:
The University’s policy, Environmental Design and Vermont Purchasing in New and Renovated Buildings, states that all new buildings and major renovations will achieve a LEED Certified level. http://www.uvm.edu/%7Euvmppg/ppg/facil/greenbuilding.html
Contact:
University of Washington/Washington Community Colleges:
As per ESSB 5509 (see Washington listing above), state-funded projects over 5,000 sq ft, including school district buildings, must achieve LEED Silver certification.
ESSB 5509: http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2005-06/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/5509-S.PL.htm
Community Colleges, Dept. of General Administration, The Evergreen State College, and several other smaller agencies have made LEED Silver the standard for design and construction, however certification is not required.
Contact:
SCHOOL INITIATIVES – K-12 [top]
American Federation of Teachers:
In July 2008, the Executive Council of the American Federation of Teachers adopted a Green Schools and Colleges Resolution, urging state federations to advocate for their legislatures to adopt green schools legislation that will appropriate the 1 to 2 percent premium to school districts when they build schools to meet LEED or CHPS. The resolution also states that the Federation supports federal legislation that will accelerate the building of schools to meet LEED or CHPS.
Contact:
Cincinnati, OH Public Schools:
On September 10, 2007, the Cincinnati Board of Education resolved to adopt “Green Guidelines” for its future public school projects. Pursuant to this resolution, all new Cincinnati public schools will strive for LEED Silver, requiring a minimum of four schools to meet LEED Silver and one additional school to achieve either LEED Gold or LEED Platinum. The resolution addresses most Segment 2 and all Segment 3 schools. The segments are part of a schedule set forth in the Board’s Facilities Master Plan that has already addressed the needs of Segment 1 schools and some Segment 2 schools. All Schedule 3 schools that are to be rehabilitated will strive for LEED Certified, while higher performance is encouraged.
The resolution also requires all certified schools to make readily available graphic information on sustainable features for educational purposes and also encourages the integration of sustainable design principles into the curriculum for the entire school district.
Contact:
Mike Burson, Facilities Director; Cincinnati Public Schools; (513) 363-2000
Hawaii Public Schools:
On June 26, 2006, Governor Lingle signed HB #2175, requiring all new state-owned construction of 5,000 square feet or greater, including K-12 public schools to achieve LEED Silver certification or a comparable standard.
Contact:
Illinois Public Schools:
On August 24, 2007, the Illinois State Senate amended the School Construction Law (Public Act #95-0416) with the governor’s approval, directing the Capital Development Board to only issue grants to school projects with LEED for Schools or comparable rating system certification, or to projects that meet the standards set forth by the Capital Development Board’s Green Building Advisory Committee.
Contact:
Manatee County, FL Public Schools:
On September 25, 2007 the Manatee County School Board adopted a resolution to certify all future K-12 public schools at a minimum of LEED for Schools Certified level.
Contact:
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Public Schools, AK:
On December 24, 2007 the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly adopted Resolution #07-137, requiring all new construction and additions of 10,000 square feet or greater to earn LEED Silver certification, targeting LEED Gold or Platinum as feasible. Projects of smaller size are encouraged to incorporate LEED to the greatest extent practicable, further encouraging the use of LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance as a guide for sustainable operation of borough buildings.
Contact:
Montgomery County, MD Public Schools:
The county has developed a High Performance Green Building Plan that outlines strategies to implement LEED in some county public school construction.
FY 2005 High Performance Green Building Plan: http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/facilities/greenschoolsfocus/2004%20High%20Performance%20Green%20Building%20Plan%20for%20MCPS.pdf
Contact:
Anja Caldwell, Green Schools Program Manager; Montgomery County Public Schools; (301) 279-3475; Anja_S_Caldwell@mcpsmd.org
New Jersey Public Schools:
Governor James McGreevey signed Executive Order #24 on July 29, 2002 requiring all new schools to incorporate LEED guidelines in new construction.
http://www.state.nj.us/infobank/circular/eom24.htm
Contact:
New Orleans, LA Public Schools:
On May 15, 2008, the New Orleans City Council adopted Resolution 08-246 requiring that all new construction and major renovation of public schools earn LEED for Schools Certified. The resolution further directs Orleans Parish School Board and City departments to recommend policies that facilitate implementation and commit to higher levels of LEED.
Contact:
New York, NY Public Schools:
On October 3, 2005, Mayor Bloomberg signed Local Law 86 that requires city-funded capital projects to use LEED for New Construction, LEED for Existing Buildings, or LEED for Commercial Interiors. Non-residential capital projects costing over $2 million must achieve LEED Silver certification. Schools and hospitals must meet the LEED Certified level. The law also requires energy cost reductions. The law became effective January 1, 2007.
Department of Design and Construction: http://www.nyc.gov/html/ddc/html/ddcgreen/ll86.html
Contact:
Ohio Public Schools:
On September 27, 2007, the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) passed Resolution #07-124, approving the incorporation of energy efficiency and sustainable design features into all future and some previously approved school projects. All K-12 public school projects approved by the OSFC are required to meet a minimum of LEED for Schools Silver certification, with strong encouragement to achieve the Gold level. There is additional emphasis on maximizing Energy & Atmosphere credits. The resolution directs OSFC to cover all LEED registration and certification fees and to provide a supplemental allowance to project budgets for the incorporation of sustainable, green strategies.
Contact:
Franklin Brown, Ohio School Facilities Commission; (614) 580-4855; Franklin.Brown@osfc.state.oh.us
Pennsylvania Public Schools:
In July 2005, the Pennsylvania legislature passed Act 46 of 2005 (House Bill 628, amending school construction reimbursement rates for Pennsylvania Public Schools, specifically providing hundreds of dollars of funding per pupil for public schools within the Commonwealth with proof of LEED Silver certification or higher, or two Green Globes or higher.
On April 25, 2006, school districts in Allegheny, Montgomery, Perry, Philadelphia, Westmoreland, Erie and Delaware counties were awarded a grant as part of the Green Schools Grant Program. School construction projects must achieve at least a LEED Silver certification.
Green Schools Grant Program: http://www.gggc.state.pa.us/gggc/cwp/view.asp?a=517&q=157139
Contact:
Sweetwater Union High School District, CA:
On March 10, 2008, the Sweetwater Union High School District adopted Resolution #3794, requiring all new school construction projects to incorporate LEED guidelines at the LEED Gold level to the greatest extent practicable. District staff and project architects will review the LEED scorecard to verify that these project goals are attempted. The resolution also allows for the use of the CHPS Roadmap.
When locating Resolution #3794 search for March 10, 2008 Regular Board Meeting, Agenda Item 6-M-03.
Contact:
Syracuse, NY Public Schools:
On September 10, 2007, the Syracuse Common Council adopted the Green Building Ordinance, requiring all new municipal construction and major renovations, including public school projects, to meet LEED Silver. The ordinance will take effect on October 1, 2007.
Contact:
Washington, DC Public Schools:
On December 5, 2006 the Washington DC City Council passed Bill # B16-0515 requiring publicly-owned, non-residential, commercial projects to achieve either LEED for New Construction or LEED for Core and Shell Silver certification. After the summer of 2007 new Public schools will be required to achieve LEED for Schools certification or an equivalent schools rating system that requires commissioning.
Contact:
Corey Buffo, General Counsel, District Department of the Environment; (202) 724-7859; Corey.Buffo@dc.gov
Washington State Public Schools:
On April 8, 2005, Governor Gregoire approved Chapter 39.35D of the Revised Code of Washington, “High-Performance Public Buildings,” requiring all projects over 5,000 square feet receiving capital funds after July 1, 2006 to be certified to the LEED Silver standard. The code also requires that all K-12 schools be certified to the LEED Silver standard or built to comply with the Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol as of July 1, 2007.
Contact:
Patricia Jatzcek, Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction (OSPI); (360) 725-4973; patricia.jatczak@k12.wa.us