Comments on: Greener Than Thou http://hugeasscity.com/2008/02/21/greener-than-thou/ > so much wonderful packaged in such a mess Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:37:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: CO2 Regulation Envy | hugeasscity http://hugeasscity.com/2008/02/21/greener-than-thou/comment-page-1/#comment-249 CO2 Regulation Envy | hugeasscity Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:10:44 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/02/21/greener-than-thou/#comment-249 [...] Meanwhile the City of Seattle, whose Mayor is noted for spearheading the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, has not yet adopted any binding legislation that regulates CO2 emissions, and is starting to fall behind in the race between big US cities to require green building in the private sector. [...] [...] Meanwhile the City of Seattle, whose Mayor is noted for spearheading the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, has not yet adopted any binding legislation that regulates CO2 emissions, and is starting to fall behind in the race between big US cities to require green building in the private sector. [...]

]]> By: Matt the Engineer http://hugeasscity.com/2008/02/21/greener-than-thou/comment-page-1/#comment-248 Matt the Engineer Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:53:06 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/02/21/greener-than-thou/#comment-248 To be fair, running through the actual documentation of a LEED building can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Also, Seattle's energy code already beats Washington's energy code which beats the national standard (ASHRAE 90.1). But then, California's energy code is a bit better. The balance we need to find is a way to force builders to build resource efficient buildings without weighing them down with burocracy. Improvements in the energy code, along with additions to the building code might accomplish this. Looking at your link, it looks like this is the approach LA is taking. Ah, on <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/los_angeles_metro/la-me-greenbuild16feb16,0,3418604.story" rel="nofollow">this link</a> it looks like they have another good idea - they're "expiditing permits" for LEED silver buildings. Again, to be fair, Seattle is allowing LEED silver buildings to build higher than other buildings (see "density bonus incentive" <a href="http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/GreenBuilding/Commercial/IncentivesAssistance/default.asp#LEED" rel="nofollow">here</a>). To be fair, running through the actual documentation of a LEED building can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Also, Seattle’s energy code already beats Washington’s energy code which beats the national standard (ASHRAE 90.1). But then, California’s energy code is a bit better.

The balance we need to find is a way to force builders to build resource efficient buildings without weighing them down with burocracy. Improvements in the energy code, along with additions to the building code might accomplish this.

Looking at your link, it looks like this is the approach LA is taking. Ah, on this link it looks like they have another good idea – they’re “expiditing permits” for LEED silver buildings. Again, to be fair, Seattle is allowing LEED silver buildings to build higher than other buildings (see “density bonus incentive” here).

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