#1 Create a green building policy (File Res. #2009-657)Community Development Department Memorandum
November 23, 2009
TO: Janesville City Council
FROM: Al Hulick, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Action on a proposed resolution creating a Green Building Policy
for the construction and/or renovation of all City-owned facilities
over $500,000 (File Resolution No. 2009-657)
Staff or Department Recommendation
The Sustainable Janesville Committee recommends that the City Council make a
motion to support File Resolution 2009-657 which creates a Green Building
Policy for the construction and/or renovation of all City-owned facilities with a
total project cost over $500,000.
City Manager recommendation
The City Manager’s office recommends adoption of the resolution.
Suggested Motion
A motion to approve File Resolution 2009-657 creating a Green Building Policy
for the construction and/or renovation of all City-owned facilities with a total
project cost over $500,000.
Request
The Sustainable Janesville Committee has worked with City staff to develop a
“Green Building” Policy. Upon adoption, this policy would apply to all newly
constructed or renovated City-owned facilities with a total project cost over
$500,000. The purpose of this policy is to outline certain sustainable initiatives
that should be considered and implemented in all future applicable city-owned
building projects.
Background
As sustainable initiatives become more common throughout the Country,
communities are taking a variety of approaches to implement sustainable
practices that reduce costs, benefit the community and workforce, and decrease
their impact on the natural environment. Many communities recognize that
before they can mandate change in the private sector, they must acknowledge
and change their own internal practices.
As part of a larger effort, the Sustainable Janesville Committee has utilized their
own expertise and experience to look at several areas in which the City of
Janesville can change its own internal practices to create a more sustainable
organization and be a more effective agent for community change. As part of
this larger effort the Sustainable Janesville Committee has developed the
proposed Green Building Policy.
The proposed Green Building Policy outlines certain sustainable initiatives that
should be considered and implemented for all new construction and building
renovation projects that have a total project cost over $500,000. Through the
expertise of the Sustainable Janesville Committee and City Staff, the policy
focuses on certain energy efficiency, water conservation, and LEED techniques
that will ensure all future, applicable City-owned building projects will be more
efficient and sustainable. Careful consideration was given to the potential cost
implications of implementing this policy, while recognizing the importance of
changing past practices to become more efficient and sustainable. By working
together with the Sustainable Janesville Committee to balance both of these
concepts, the City Administration supports the Green Building Policy as
proposed.
At their November 3, 2009 meeting, the Sustainable Janesville Committee
unanimously recommended that the City Council approve the proposed Green
Building Resolution as File Ordinance 2009-657.
Analysis
As noted, the Green Building Policy is part of a larger effort from the Sustainable
Janesville Committee to implement more sustainable initiatives and create more
community awareness of sustainable concepts and practices. As part of this
effort, the Committee began its focus on the City’s own construction policies.
Construction practices are significant contributors to the depletion of natural
resources and a major cause of air and water pollution, solid waste,
deforestation, toxic wastes, health hazards, global warming, and other negative
consequences. Buildings use an estimated one-fourth of the world's wood
harvest, and consume an estimated two-fifths of all materials and energy flows.
Indoor environments are highly complex and building occupants may be exposed
to gas and particle contaminants from office machines, cleaning products,
construction activities, carpets and furnishings, perfumes, cigarette smoke,
water-damaged building materials, microbial growth (fungal / mold and bacterial),
insects, and outdoor pollutants. Other factors such as indoor temperatures,
relative humidity, and ventilation levels can affect how individuals respond to the
indoor environment and their productivity in their performance of their jobs.
The proposed Green Building Resolution has been developed with the expertise
of the Sustainable Janesville Committee and City Staff. This policy outlines the
following energy efficiency, water conservation, and LEED techniques for all
future City-owned new construction and/or renovation projects with a total project
cost over $500,000:
1. that, as part of the design development and budgeting process for
construction and renovation of City-owned facilities, staff and/or its design
consultant give reasonable consideration to sustainable, energy efficient,
and environmental design, (as defined by the United States Green
Building Council) and that a written report showing which elements will
and will not be incorporated into the design be provided to the Sustainable
Janesville Committee and the Common Council; and
2. that, as part for the design development and budgeting process for
construction of new facilities, a payback analysis be completed for
inclusion of renewable energy systems (specifically solar, wind and
geothermal energy systems) in the design; and
3. that a specific goal be set for non-hazardous construction and demolition
(C&D) waste to be reused, recycled, or otherwise diverted from landfill
(and this shall apply to all building demolition projects), and
4. that designs for new construction and renovation of City-owned buildings
provide for 30% water savings beyond the Energy Policy Act of 1992
baseline code requirements; and
5. that new City-owned buildings be designed for 20% more energy
efficiency than minimum commercial code requirements; and
6. that during the design and budgeting process for construction and
renovation of City-owned facilities, applicable grants for sustainable,
energy saving, and environmental enhancements are explored; and
The Green Building Policy also requires that at least one city staff member
associated with construction projects to be educated and current at all times in
the LEED standards and process so that this knowledge can be used to foster
incorporation of sustainable, environmental, and energy saving design. The
policy further requires that during selection of design firms for construction
projects, the City should consider the design firms’ experience in
sustainable/green building design and have at least one LEED Accredited
Professional that will work on the project under consideration.
Strengths & Weaknesses
?
One advantage of the resolution is that it provides a balanced analysis of
capital projects rather than focusing only on the fiscal impact.
?
Adoption of this resolution would formalize the recommended
requirements. The City has implemented some of the provisions on a
case by case basis.
?
The resolution will ensure that all future applicable projects will meet the
recommended standards or be evaluated under those standards.
?
By conducting pay-back analysis and installing more efficient fixtures in
future building projects, facilities would have a more sustainable impact on
the environment, and may recognize utility cost savings over the facilities
life cycle.
?
There may be additional upfront costs associated with implementing these
provisions on a project by project basis. The $500,000 project cost
provision is to protect against artificially driving up costs on low budget
projects.
?
Although the costs will vary for each project, it is difficult to estimate the
overall cost impact versus the potential savings realized through more
efficient facilities.
cc: Eric Levitt
Jacob Winzenz
RESOLUTION NO. 2009-657
A RESOLUTION CREATING A GREEN BUILDING POLICY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION
AND/OR RENOVATION OF CITY-OWNED FACILITIES OVER $500,000.
WHEREAS,
development and construction practices are significant contributors to the depletion
of natural resources and a major cause of air and water pollution, solid waste, deforestation,
toxic wastes, health hazards, global warming, and other negative consequences; and
WHEREAS,
buildings use an estimated one-fourth of the world's wood harvest, and consume
an estimated two-fifths of all materials and energy flows; and
WHEREAS,
indoor environments are highly complex and building occupants may be exposed
to gas and particle contaminants from office machines, cleaning products, construction
activities, carpets and furnishings, perfumes, cigarette smoke, water-damaged building
materials, microbial growth (fungal / mold and bacterial), insects, and outdoor pollutants; and
WHEREAS
, other factors such as indoor temperatures, relative humidity, and ventilation levels
can affect how individuals respond to the indoor environment and their productivity in their
performance of their jobs;
WHEREAS,
the City of Janesville recognizes its responsibility to implement and promote
building practices that protect the quality of the air, water, and other natural resources; protect
the quality of life for its Citizens and Employees; reduce impact of construction practices on
native fish, vegetation, wildlife and other ecosystems; and minimize human impact on local and
worldwide ecosystems; and
WHEREAS,
the United States Green Building Council has, in a national collaborative process,
created Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards that identify a range
of actions that define green buildings and establish certification processes for new and existing
buildings; and
WHEREAS
, the Common Council hereby find that creating and implementing this green
building policy for the construction and/or renovation of city-owned facilities over $500,000 is in
the best interest of the City and of benefit to the community.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
by the Common Council of the City of Janesville that
hereby is created a Green Building Policy to implement Energy and Environmental Design
Concepts in construction and renovation of city-owned facilities over $500,000 project cost by
including the following goals at a minimum, when applicable:
1. that, as part of the design development and budgeting process for construction and
renovation of City-owned facilities, staff and/or its design consultant give reasonable
consideration to sustainable, energy efficient, and environmental design, (as defined by
the United States Green Building Council) and that a written report showing which
elements will and will not be incorporated into the design be provided to the Sustainable
Janesville Committee and the Common Council; and
2. that, as part for the design development and budgeting process for construction of new
facilities, a payback analysis be completed for inclusion of renewable energy systems
(specifically solar, wind and geothermal energy systems) in the design; and
3. that a specific goal be set for non-hazardous construction and demolition (C&D) waste to
be reused, recycled, or otherwise diverted from landfill (and this shall apply to all public
building demolition projects), and
4. that designs for new construction and renovation of City-owned buildings provide for
30% water savings beyond the Energy Policy Act of 1992 baseline code requirements;
and
5. that new City-owned buildings be designed for 20% more energy efficiency than
minimum commercial code requirements (at time of resolution adoption); and
6. that during the design and budgeting process for construction and renovation of City-
owned facilities, applicable grants for sustainable, energy saving, and environmental
enhancements are explored; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that the City will require at least one city staff member associated
with construction projects to be educated and current at all times in the LEED standards and
process so that this knowledge can be used to foster incorporation of sustainable,
environmental, and energy saving design; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that during selection of design firms for construction projects, the
City should consider the design firms’ experience in sustainable/green building design and have
at least one LEED Accredited Professional that will work on the project under consideration; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that the City Manager and Sustainable Janesville Committee will
provide annual progress reports to Common Council summarizing the written reports provided
for each construction and renovation project.
ADOPTED:
Motion by:
Second by:
APPROVED:
Councilmember Aye Nay Pass Absent
Brunner
McDonald
Eric J. Levitt, City Manager
Perrotto
Rashkin
ATTEST:
Steeber
Truman
Voskuil
Jean Ann Wulf, City Clerk-Treasurer
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
___________
Wald Klimczyk, City Attorney
Proposed by: Sustainable Janesville Committee
Prepared by: Sustainable Janesville Committee