The Denver City Council voted unanimously to repeal and replace the green roof requirement that voters had enacted a year ago.
The new law requires light-colored cool roofs on new and re-roofed buildings of more than 25,000 sf. If widely used, cool roofs can lower urban temperatures by several degrees.
The city estimated that the original green roof law could have added $193,000, or about 2.8% to the cost of a five-story office building. The new law could cut that increase in half, with significantly higher savings for some buildings.
Building owners also will have to choose among the following environmental options: installing green space, funding it elsewhere, meeting green design standards, or installing renewable energy. Apartment buildings fewer than six floors will be exempted from this provision.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Oct 26, 2017
Bostonās Old South Church asks tower developer for $19 million for casting shade
Request highlights ongoing conflict between developers and residents over right to sunshine.
Codes and Standards | Oct 24, 2017
Asphalt roofing design guide now available in digital form
Recently updatedĀ Modified Bitumen Design GuideĀ can be viewed on smartphones and tablets.
Codes and Standards | Oct 23, 2017
Energy efficiency investments on the rise; will increase next year
Survey of facility management executives shows onsite renewables, energy storage will spike in 2018.
Codes and Standards | Oct 20, 2017
AIA contract document updates include new BIM, digital data provisions
Documents are structurally different from 2007, 2008 versions.
Codes and Standards | Oct 19, 2017
IAPMO seeks proposals for 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, Uniform Mechanical Code
The deadline isĀ March 16, 2018.
Codes and Standards | Oct 18, 2017
States impacted by hurricanes are improving their energy efficiency policies
Florida, Texas, rise in ACEEE state energy efficiency scorecard.
Codes and Standards | Oct 17, 2017
Updated versions of EnergyPlus and OpenStudio building energy modeling tools released
Open-source apps include enhancements for urban-scale modeling.
Codes and Standards | Oct 16, 2017
New, comprehensive insurance exhibit released in AIA 2017 contract document updates
Will allow AIA to make updates more frequently as insurance market changes.
Codes and Standards | Oct 12, 2017
New AIA contract document designates responsibilities for sustainable projects
Roles of architects, contractors outlined in E204ā2017.
Codes and Standards | Oct 11, 2017
Data, transparency are keys to next steps in green building, says USGBC chief
Monitoring andĀ comparing performance are critical to advancing sustainability goals.