Arlington County, Va., is the first community to achieve Platinum level under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) newly created LEED for Communities program.
The certification recognizes the County’s “leadership in creating a sustainable and resilient urban environment that has long-proven success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, managing stormwater, ensuring economic prosperity and focusing on education, affordable housing, health and safety for residents and businesses,” USGBC says. Progress and outcomes for the program are measured using Arc, a digital platform that benchmarks and tracks performance data at the building, city, and community level.
The county’s sustainability achievements include developing a commuter rail and smart growth strategies in the general land use plan. The county also created a program target to reduce county government's carbon emissions by 10% by 2012, compared to 2000 levels. It achieved that goal by improving energy efficiency in the County government's buildings, vehicles, and infrastructure.
In addition, the County's Community Energy Plan (CEP), adopted in 2013, established a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 75% by 2050. The County recently became the first locality in Virginia to approve an ordinance allowing a Commercial-Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program—a public-private partnership to provide affordable, long-term financing for projects to improve the energy or water efficiency of commercial buildings.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Apr 27, 2017
Extensive list of plug load efficiency utility incentives available for free download
The Dept. of Energy resource is a state-by-state compilation with hundreds of listings.
Codes and Standards | Apr 26, 2017
Chicago commits to 100% renewable power for all city buildings
In doing so, it becomes largest U.S. city to make such a pledge.
Codes and Standards | Apr 25, 2017
Concerns over increased construction costs following Trump executive orders
‘Buy American’ requirement and revised H-1B visa restrictions could raise prices on supplies, labor.
Codes and Standards | Apr 24, 2017
‘Staggering delays, exorbitant costs’ in New York City library, cultural building construction
Study finds significant problems with how city manages capital projects.
Codes and Standards | Apr 20, 2017
California lawmakers have had little success in attracting sports stadiums
Only one of several attempts has had an impact in recent years.
Codes and Standards | Apr 19, 2017
Dept. of Energy releases updated versions of EnergyPlus and OpenStudio building energy modeling tools
The updated versions include full support for variable speed DX coils, enhanced plant auto-sizing, new fan model, and support for non-rectangular windows.
Codes and Standards | Apr 18, 2017
K-12 school daylighting initiative created to promote best practices
Eneref Institute creates networking group of school administrators for ideas to overcome market obstacles.
Codes and Standards | Apr 17, 2017
OSHA delays enforcing crystalline silica standard in construction industry
Enforcement will begin Sept. 23, three months later than planned.
Codes and Standards | Apr 13, 2017
Former OSHA official publishes safety citations on his own
Under Trump orders, agency had stopped issuing ‘shaming’ press releases on major fines and safety violations.
Codes and Standards | Apr 12, 2017
Trump infrastructure task force suggests arbitration to speed projects
Permitting process could be reduced from 10 years to 2 years under the proposal.
