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
School Construction | May 3, 2016
Florida clamps down on school construction spending
Critics fear rules will hamper ability to build schools with desired features.
Resiliency | May 2, 2016
Connecticut to develop new code standards for resiliency
Expected more frequent severe weather events due to climate change prompts review.
Contractors | Apr 29, 2016
OSHA issues advisory to protect workers from Zika virus
Construction industry workers considered at high risk.
Codes and Standards | Apr 28, 2016
New research finds 30 measures to significantly cut energy use
ASHRAE’s prescription cuts across all building types and climates.
Codes and Standards | Apr 27, 2016
Florida gives developers more time to install first responder radio signal systems
Expensive upgrades can be postponed for several years.
Codes and Standards | Apr 25, 2016
San Francisco becomes first big U.S. city to require solar panels on new buildings
Pertains to commercial and residential buildings shorter than 10 stories.
Codes and Standards | Apr 25, 2016
GSA adopts SITES land development and management rating system
Federal agency will use for properties with and without buildings.
Wood | Apr 22, 2016
Revised 2015 Manual for Engineered Wood Construction available
American Wood Council Document offers design information for structural applications.
Codes and Standards | Apr 20, 2016
OSHA updates eye and face protection standards in final rule
Becomes effective April 26.
Codes and Standards | Apr 18, 2016
Efficiency finance pilot project to spur retrofits on existing buildings
EDF and PG&E team up on interest-free loans for qualified projects.