Why is This Important?
Green building practices seek to minimize the impact of the built environment on our air, water, and land by creating healthier and more resource-efficient buildings. Green buildings reduce solid waste, conserve energy and water, and provide economic benefits by reducing operating costs and enhancing asset values. Well-designed green buildings can also increase worker productivity.
What is a Sustainable State?
In a sustainable state buildings are resource efficient, produce minimal waste, are built with nontoxic substances, have healthy indoor environments, and are located to allow for use of public transportation.
How Are We Doing?
Green Building Construction
Green buildings are commonly “rated,” or certified using an approved rating system such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or the GreenPoint Rating System. These rating systems take into account factors such as site location, water use efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Projects are typically rated after completion from a high of “Platinum” through “Certified” based on combined performance in each of the areas. As of the end of 2010, there were 1.9 million square feet of LEED-certified space in San Mateo County. (These data exclude projects that choose to remain confidential). Total LEED-certified space in the county has increased more than ten-fold since 2005, and doubled from 2009 to 2010 alone.
Major newly-certified projects in San Mateo County include the renovation of the Oyster Point Marina Plaza office space, the new Carlmont High School Music and Arts Building, and two new facilities maintenance buildings at the San Mateo County Community College District.
Most residential green building in the county is certified by the GreenPoint Rating system, and not LEED, which is primarily used for commercial/institutional construction. Comprehensive data on the total number of GreenPoint rated homes in San Mateo County were unavailable at the time of this publication, however at least nine different cities and towns in San Mateo County require that new residential construction projects meet certain GreenPoint rating levels. (See Green Building Ordinances).
Green Building Ordinances
A green building ordinance amends a jurisdiction’s municipal code to require that new construction (and sometimes major renovations) meet certain minimum green rating levels. As of February 28, 2011, eleven jurisdictions in the county (as well as the county itself) had mandatory green building ordinances. Most use a combination of GreenPoint Rating system for residential construction and LEED for commercial. Two of these jurisdictions (South San Francisco and San Carlos) have adopted the new CalGreen statewide standards.
