Green Buildings in Bildii

							      Green Buildings i
      G       B ildi     in
       Arlington, Virginia
      and the DC Region

The Nexus of Politics and Green Building
          Breakfast Session

          Urban Land Institute
             June 3 2008
             J    3,

             Joan Kelsch
        Arlington County, VA
    Presentation Outline

• Why are we building green in
  Arlington?
• How do we encourage gg green
  building in Arlington?
• Regional green building efforts
General Land
Use Plan
Development in Arlington



               • 41 million square
                 feet of commercial
                 space (comparable to
                 Atlanta and Seattle)
               • 9 million square
                 feet of retail space
               • 98,000 residential
                 units
                 10,000
               • 10 000 hotel rooms
          Environmental Issues
             in Urban Areas
             i Ub A

•   Stormwater Runoff
•   Air Quality
•   Heat Islands
•   Traffic and Parking
•   O      S
    Open Space and R         ti
                     d Recreation
•   Urban Villages – walkability, live-work
•   Indoor Environment (we spend ~90%
    I d     E i         t(          d 90%
     of our time indoors)
       Environmental Impact
           of Buildings*
  65.2%          US
• 65 2% of total U.S. electricity consumption
• > 36% of total U.S. primary energy use
               US
• 30% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
• 136 million tons of construction and demolition
  waste in the U.S. (approx. 2.8 lbs/person/day)
• 12% of potable water in the U.S.
      (                      y)
• 40% (3 billion tons annually) of raw materials
  use globally
* Commercial and residential
Setting an Example in Arlington
• Leadership from County Board,
  Planning Commission, County
  Manager, and School Board
• Helping transform the marketplace
• Arlington County projects include:
  – Schools
               y
  – Community Centers
  – Fire Stations
              p   p               g
  – Parks Dept. Operations Building
   Leadership i E
   L d hi in Energy &
    Environmental Design

A leading-edge system for designing,
constructing, and certifying the world’s
greenest buildings.
Green Home Choice for Single
         Family

•   Based on EarthCraft House Program
•     ped ted a     e e
    Expedited Plan Review
•   Acknowledgement of participants
•   Awards
•   Green Home Fair
     Programs for
Site Plan Development
LEED Scorecard for All Site Plan
          Projects

• LEED accredited professional
• LEED Scorecard listing specific “green”
                f h     j     ih
  components of the project, with
  explanation of each credit
LEED Scorecard for Site Plan
      Projects (cont.)

            • Specify number of
              LEED credits in site
              plan condition
            • LEED reports due at
                   ifi      it
              specific permit
              applications
            • If LEED
              requirements not
              met, County
              withholds permits
    gy
Energy Star Appliances and
        Equipment
• For high-rise
  residential projects,
              p j      ,
  Energy Star
  appliances must be
  installed
• Clothes washers,
  dishwashers,
  di h     h
  refrigerators, ceiling
  fans,      signs, etc.
  fans exit signs etc
  Green Building Fund

• If developer does not apply for LEED
  certification from USGBC, the project
                   Arlington s
  contributes to Arlington’s Green Building
  Fund
                               $   per
• Contribution calculated at $0.03 p
  square foot
• Fund to be used for green building
    d     ti     d t
  education and outreach   h
Green Building Incentive Program

• Includes density awards
  for all levels of LEED
  (certified, silver, gold
  and platinum)
• FAR bonus ranges from
  .15 for Certified to .35
  for Gold/Platinum
• Developer posts a bond
  that is released when
  the
  th USGBC i     issues
  certification
• 10% reduction in GHG emissions from
  County government operations by
  2012, from 2000 base
• Specific actions in 2007 by government
  and outreach to residents and
  businesses
• Climate action plans will set future
  agenda, work p
   g             plans
         Regional Green
         Building Program
         B ildi P
      Washington Metropolitan Council of
             Governments (COG)

• Projected growth of 1.6 million people and 1.2 million
  jobs by 2030
• Promote regional consistency in Green Building policy
• Promote balanced sustainable growth and livable
  communities
   Regional Efforts
• Intergovernmental Green Building Group
  (IGBG) at MWCOG

  Promote coordinated Green Building practices
• P       t     di t d G       B ildi       ti
  in the region and transform the market using
  LEED
   – Public Facilities
   – Private Sector


• IGBG prepare report on:
   – Recommendation to develop and adopt regional Green
     Building guidelines
   – Regional cooperation, education, and common standards
COG Green Building
Recommendations
1.
1    Use LEED across the region

2.   Government lead by example – LEED Silver

3.   COG Regional LEED Certified (26-32 points)

       Achieve LEED Certified and at least 4 of the following:

       •    Additional Energy Optimization credits
       •    Heat Island Mitigation – roof and non-roof
       •    On-site renewable energy generation
       •    Purchase Green Power
       •    75%+ construction debris recycling
       •    Stormwater Management – quality and/or quantity



4.   C ll b        d Educate regionwide
     Collaborate and Ed         i   id
     Status of Green Buildings

• >60 LEED certified buildings
• >300 LEED registered buildings
  Programs i MD VA, and DC
• P        in MD, VA      d
  – Montgomery County, Rockville,
    G ith b       Prince G
    Gaithersburg, P i     Georges
  – Alexandria, Fairfax, Arlington,
    Loudoun,
    L d
  – Washington, DC
Sustainable Communities
S t i bl C        iti
Joan Kelsch
Environmental Planner
Department of Environmental Services
Arlington County, VA

jkelsch@arlingtonva.us
703-228-3599

www.arlingtonva.us
www.mwcog.org