County poised to add 'green' mandates to building code

[HOT: Texas will "eventually" catch up to other states who are leading the way with stricter building codes and laws governing homebuilding, at least if there's anything we can do about it.] 

By Kurtis Alexander, Santa Cruz Sentinel, 09/29/2009, http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_13442222

SANTA CRUZ -- County planners have set a date to make the now-voluntary guidelines for "green" building mandatory.

The switch, slated for Jan. 4, would commit home builders as well as residents seeking an addition or remodel in the unincorporated communities to certain design standards aimed at increasing energy efficiency. The move would bring the county's rural areas in line with its four cities, which have similar rules.

"It's not hard to get to these compliance points, but it forces people to think about what they're doing and getting people to think more about green building practices," said Planning Director Tom Burns.

County supervisors must sign off on the switch, and are scheduled to discuss and possibly implement the mandatory rules at their regular meeting at 9 a.m. today.

In an age of increasing concern about global warming, green building has emerged as a way to lessen the need for energy, a primary source of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Home design also can help curb water use, incorporate materials that are gentler on the environment and make homes safer for those who live there.

While some praise local governments for embracing green building, others see the effort as costly and unnecessary regulation.

"It just gives them another whole layer of fees to collect, and it's pretty hard to argue against something that's green," said Bill Fisher, an architect of 46 years with an office in Santa Cruz. "I have great concern whenever the government gets involved in design."

Fisher says the building community is already moving toward more environmentally friendly construction, and worries government planners will make the shift more onerous.

The county's new building mandates, unlike those in most cities, would apply not only to new residential construction but to remodels and additions, which constitute an estimated 85 percent of the county's roughly 2,000 or so building applications each year.

Under the rules, all remodels and additions less than 500 square feet would be subject to a list of design rules, while new buildings and additions 500 square feet and greater would have to include a minimum number of ecologically sound features. The features range from dual-flush toilets to recycled roofing materials.

The cost of compliance for homeowners is debatable, but many say the requirements will ultimately lead to a savings by rolling back energy and water use. The Planning Department says compliance fees will run $500 or less.

"We're glad that the county is moving forward," said Virginia Johnson, head of the nonprofit Ecology Action and chair of the county's Commission on the Environment, which proposed the standards. "If you want to do something about global warming in your backyard, one of the first things you can do is make your built-in environment more efficient."

The county is expected to expand the green building rules to commercial structures at a later point.

HOT: We applaud the Texas contractors who have taken a leadership role by building Energy Star and Windstorm Certified homes on their own - without laws that force them to. They realize that building "quality" into homes adds to their value and improves the builder's brand image and profitability. Coventry Homes, for example, promotes features such as:

• "Homes built to meet stringent Environments for Living™ Platinum Level criteria which exceeds Energy Star® program requirements;
• Homes are engineered, inspected and certified to meet the minimum 110 mph wind speed requirements of the International Residential Code; and
• The use of special clips, straps and anchors in the construction of our homes creates added peace of mind and protection for you and your family living on the Gulf Coast."

Unfortunately, we often hear from reputable builders who are frustrated with having to compete with shoddy builders who profit by cutting corners with substandard materials and construction and then hide behind laws designed to offload their warranty responsibilities and protect them from lawsuits.