Energy generation is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, strategies to conserve energy and use it more efficiently in agency operations and the community help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, energy efficiency and conservation measures save money and resources.
The City of Napa recently adopted stricter green building standards to include all new residential and commercial buildings. A few of the highlights of the new standards include:
Residential buildings must reduce water use by at least 20% over today's standards, and commercial buildings by at least 30%.
Builders whose projects consume 15% less energy than the state standard will get a 25% reduction in building permit fees.
The new Resolution is flexible, providing builders with a list of measures from which to choose.
The City of Redwood City has adopted local ordinances that are more stringent than the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards. These ordinances were approved by the California Energy Commission on May 5, 2010.Read more »
The Los Vecinos Affordable Rental Housing development in Chula Vista is an example of promoting energy efficiency in new developments. Bringing the benefits of renewable and energy efficient technologies to low-income tenants, this development, which is LEED-Platinum certified, includes several energy-efficient "green design" features, including rooftop solar panels to generate at least 90 percent of the building's energy.
The City of Antioch is implementing a city-wide $4.65 million lighting retrofit project that is expected to reduce energy costs by $500,000 annually.Read more »
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