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Scottsdale takes more steps to encourage Green Building alternatives
July 7, 2011
Contacts: Green Building Program Manager Anthony Floyd,
(480) 312-4202, afloyd@scottsdaleaz.gov
Scottsdale takes more steps to encourage Green Building alternatives
The Scottsdale City Council recently adopted the International Green Construction Code as the core of the city’s voluntary Commercial Green Building Program. This step makes it easier for developers of commercial and multi-family housing to “go green” -- a “whole systems” approach through design and construction techniques to:
• minimize environmental impacts
• reduce energy consumption
• incorporate renewable energy
• conserve water
• improve indoor environmental quality
The new code provides flexibility to adapt to Scottsdale’s geographic conditions and environmental quality of life.
Established in 1998, Scottsdale’s residential Green Building Program was the first in the state and the fifth in the nation. Since then, the city has issued nearly 1,300 green building permits. The city established a commercial component in 2001, but only 40 permits have been issued to date.
Scottsdale’s Green Building Program Manager Anthony Floyd says, “The new code promotes uniformity and consistency from city to city.” He adds that it also offers an alternative way for buildings to become green certified, thus propelling commercial green efforts. By integrating the new voluntary code into the city’s plan review and inspection process, green certification is streamlined. A Green Certificate of Occupancy is immediately issued following the final building inspection.
In 2005, the city adopted the nation’s first LEED Gold policy for newly constructed and renovated public facilities. LEED is a national multi-level green building rating program administered by the Green Building Certification Institute. Scottsdale has committed to the LEED certification process to ensure the objectivity of a third-party verification process for public facilities and considers LEED Silver, Gold and Platinum level certified buildings as meeting or exceeding the provisions of the new International Green Construction Code. As a market-based rating program, LEED provides an avenue for higher performance thresholds, whereas the city’s newly-adopted code establishes baseline performance measures administered by local jurisdictions.
Learn more about the newly adopted code at:
Scottsdale Council Report, Adopting Ordinance and Amendments (pdf)
IgCC Checklist (pdf/155kb/14pp)
Scottsdale Commissioning Certificate (pdf/60kb/2pp)
IgCC Public Version 2.0 (pdf/2mb/243pp)
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