HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Bill 4.DLate 11/15/2010i
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AIA Redwood Empire
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November 11, 2010
Honorable Mayor Pam Torliatt and Councilmembers
Petaluma City Council
City of Petaluma
11 English Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
RE: November 1.5`h Council Agenda Item 4D
Model Code Adoption - CalGreen
Dear Mayor Torliatt and Councilmembers:
On behalf of the American Institute of Architects Redwood Empire Chapter (AIARE) Board of
Directors, we offer the attached recommendations for your consideration when adopting the new
California green building code as a part of Petaluma's proposed model code adoption.
Please note that the County of Sonoma, City of Santa Rosa, City of Sebastopol, City of Sonoma,
and the Town of Windsor have locally adopted CalGreen Tier 1 voluntary measures as a
mandatory building permit" requirement. Please join these jurisdictions and include CalGreen Tier
1 measures into the adoption process during your November 15'" council meeting.
Thank you for giving us this opportunity to express our position on a subject that will have direct
effect upon our membership. If you have any questions, please contact me at 707- 763 -1580.
Regards,
C:^
Mark Albertson, AIA
Director of Government Affairs
American Institute of Architects Redwood Empire Chapter
P.O. Box 41,78 Santa Rosa, CA 95402 Tel: 707 838.2672
AIA Redwood Empire
A Chapter of the American institute of Architects
November 2010
City of Petaluma
City Council
On behalf of the American Institute of Architects Redwood Empire Chapter (AIARE) Board of Directors, the
following summarizes our position on adoption of the new California green building code.
Background: For the past several years Northern California and particularly Sonoma County has been at the
forefront of promoting and encouraging green building design and construction. Resource conservation,
climate protection, and sustainability have been major priorities within our communities. As a result, most
jurisdictions in Sonoma County have taken appropriate leadership roles by adopting ordinances related to
these priorities. In the building industry, the unintended consequence of these ordinances has been to add
an additional layer of bureaucracy and cost associated with in third -party verification procedures.
Also, jurisdictions have adopted ordinances that have similar intentions but use a wide variety of means and
measures upon which to meet the intent. This variety of ordinance language has caused inconsistency and
confusion within the building industry.
Code Cycle: This year, the State of California has adopted' a statewide green building standard commonly
referred to as CalGreen. The development and addition of this standard, into the 2010 California Building
Code (CBC) provides all jurisdictions the opportunity to unite around a common set of green building
requirements that would be administered just like all other building code provisions. Furthermore, your local
building officials have the tools through the normal code compliance process to enforce this new green
building code without relying on independent third -party verification trade groups. CalGreen has been written
to include both mandatory green building measures and additional elective green building measures. The
elective measures are classified as: either Tier I or Tier II, Tier I measures increase a building's green building
performance over the basic mandatory measures. Tier II measures are based on even higher performance
standards and would generally be reserved for unique high - performance building examples.
Recommendation: Upon careful review and analysis, the AIARE, in conjunction with the Redwood Empire
Association of Code Officials has determined that adopting the Tier I measures as a mandatory requirement
of obtaining a building permit for both residential and non- residential construction would replicate most
green building ordinances currently in force within Sonoma County, To successfully transition to the new
CBC CalGreen code, the AIARE Board of Directors recommends the following actions be taken by all
Northern California jurisdictions:
• Rescind all local green building ordinances currently in effect
• Discourage continued use of green building ordinances that -are based upon a point -rated system
requiring fhird party verification
• Adopt CalGreen as the single source green building code, as administered through the California
Building Standards Commission
• In addition to CalGreen mandatory measures, adopt all Tier I elective measures as a mandatory
requirement for all new residential and non - residential construction
2010 Board of Directors
American Institute of Architects
P.O. Box 4178 Santa Rosa, CA 95402 Tel: 707 838.2672