Urban Design
Green Building Policy – Private Sector New Construction
To promote green building and enhance economic competitiveness – by increasing property values and rents as well as encourage environmental responsibility and achievement.
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The San Jose Private Sector Green Building Policy was adopted in October, 2008, establishing baseline green building standards for private sector new construction in San Jose with implementation provisions. This Policy is intended to enhance the public health, safety and welfare of San Jose residents, workers, and visitors by fostering practices in the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings that will minimize the use and waste of energy, water and other resources in the City of San Jose. Ultimately, the standards required by this policy are intended to advance greenhouse gas reduction and other sustainability strategies outlined in the City's Green Vision.
Requiring a green building checklist for all new construction using two rating systems – LEED and Build It Green – the policy mandates specific certification and point levels in 3 categories: commercial and industrial (25,000 square feet and more), residential high-rise, and other residential (10 units and more). The Policy's requirement for all new construction projects to prepare and submit a green building checklist is intended to
• serve as an information resource by exposing project developers to the range of green building measures available
• inform decision makers about the green building measures included in a particular project not subject to specific performance standards, and
• encourage developers to voluntarily include additional green building features in a project to achieve a particular green building standard. This mandatory component of the policy increases the likelihood of implementation and market transformation.
Working to encourage achievement of LEED Certified ratings, City staff has provided incentives and educational programs to reach desirable outcomes. Staff has conducted outreach to the following sectors in the development of its private sector green building policy: developers, architects, engineers, contractors, building trades groups, affordable housing groups, and environmental groups. Through these sectors the Environmental Services Department formed the Green Building Steering committee (from key city departments), the San Jose Green Building Workgroup (from the community), and the Green Building Taskforce (building, housing and community sector members appointed by the Mayor) in order to implement the new policy and guidelines.
Beginning in 2000, the City of San José has sponsored and organized Green Building & Energy Efficiency lectures and training events covering a host of topics. Energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green building classes are presented in Santa Clara County as a part of the Silicon Valley Energy Watch partnership, a collaboration between Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of San José. Additional classes are offered in partnership with United States Green Building Council (USGBC), Build It Green, BOMA Silicon Valley and other organizations.
Additionally, all members of the community may sign up to receive email updates from the City correlating to Green Building project announcements, seminars, workshops, and conferences, and links to further Green Building resources.
Serving as an example, the Gish Community Housing Apartments in San Jose is California’s first “LEED for Homes Gold-certified” apartment building with 28% improvement over Title 24 energy standards, 36% indoor water use reduction, 92% construction waste diverted, xeriscaping utilized, and hardscape minimized with underground parking; the housing complex achieved LEED Gold with 74.5 points.
Through outreach efforts to various industries of the building community (approximately 200 stakeholders), City staff collected feedback on the proposed private sector policy. Comments and concerns raised included the following:
• No new fees
• No new review cycles
• No new inspections and associated inspection fees
• Policy should not impact issuance of Building Permit or Certificate of Occupancy
• Developers would like to choose the most applicable rating system
• Concern about availability of "green" building products such as paints, carpets and lumber
• Desire for predictability and consistency across jurisdictions
• Provide incentives such as expedited building plan check for green projects
In efforts to minimize the impact on existing staff resources and avoid new development fees, the policy has a third party verify a project’s green building standards compliance. Increased staff time is required for implementation, along with $75,000 allocated to Green Building Policy Implementation/Staff Training from the Green Vision fund.
In 2001, the City Council adopted its first Green Building Policy (Policy No. 8-13).
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