Green building requirements: A few municipalities have mandated that all buildings (by size and product type) that are new construction or major renovations must achieve green building certification. Standards most commonly referenced are LEED or Energy Star. Green building requirements can also address municipal environmental priorities and social goals such as increasing affordable housing.
San Francisco’s Task Force on Green Building recommended that the city expand green building requirements beyond municipal buildings to private sector residential and commercial projects. All projects will be required to achieve green building certification and green building standards were identified for each building type. A phased increase in green building performance determined by rating is phased in over a five-year period.
Energy code updates: Many states and municipalities already have rigorous energy codes. Local governments can learn from these state and municipal leaders.
Local governments can participate in state or local government code councils to advocate for adoption of a performance-based code. Performance based codes encourage innovation.
To meet the 2030 Challenge goals, Albuquerque will adopt and amend the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code. Amendments reflect Albuquerque’s commitment to the 2030 Challenge goals, and are intended to improve energy performance by 30 percent beyond a baseline building.
To build broad support, bundle energy code updates with energy efficiency incentives and other financial rewards such as tax credits.
Retrocommissioning to improve energy performance: Retrocommissioning is a cost-effective strategy for improving energy efficiency in existing buildings and generating cost savings through improved building operations.
Local governments can demonstrate the effectiveness of retrocommissioning by requiring municipal buildings to conduct energy performance reviews or audits every few years. To encourage retrocommissioning, the US EPA Energy Star Challenge developed “A Retrocommissioning Guide for Building Owners.”
Point-of sale efficiency upgrades: These use an innovative regulatory mechanism that requires compliance with certain energy (and sometimes water) efficiency requirements before buildings can be sold, transferred from one proprietor to another, or renovated beyond a predetermined total permit value.
Berkeley, California, was the first city in the nation to require efficiency upgrades for residential buildings at the point of sale. Berkeley’s Residential Energy Conservation Ordinance requires homes to meet California Title 24 Energy Code requirements when improvements valued at $50,000 or more are made. Before transfer of title can occur, the seller must have an energy inspection to verify performance. Since 1987, Berkeley has reduced residential energy consumption by 13 percent, saving 5,098 tons of carbon dioxide a year. Households have saved up to $450 a year on energy costs, and the payback for investments is typically in two years.
