The City of Los Angeles recently passed an ordinance requiring buildings of 20,000 sf or more to take steps to improve energy and water efficiency.
Structures of that size must:
- Benchmark their use of energy and water consumption
- Provide this information to the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety
- Demonstrate steps being taken to reduce energy and water consumption
In L.A., 4% of the city's buildings are responsible for half of the total energy used in the city, so this ordinance could have a significant impact on consumption. Building owners must benchmark their energy and water use using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
Facilities will be able to compare their use of energy and water to comparably sized buildings. The ordinance also lets building owners know about and take advantage of tax incentives that help reduce consumption.
“The program will be phased in over the next two years and while it is somewhat involved, there are many benefits to building owners,” says Klaus Reichardt, Founder, and CEO of Waterless Co., a manufacturer of no-water urinals and other restroom products.
Related Stories
| Oct 13, 2011
AGC Urges Repeal of 3% Withholding On Government Contracts
The U.S. House of Representatives is planning a vote in October on a bill to repeal the 3% withholding requirement on all federal and state contracts for goods and services.
| Oct 13, 2011
House Bill Would Block New OSHA Regulations
Proposed riders in a U.S. House of Representatives spending bill would block the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from issuing controversial workplace safety and health regulations.
| Oct 11, 2011
AIA introduces five new documents for use on sustainable projects
These new documents will be available in the first quarter of 2012 as part of the new AIA Contract Documents service and AIA Documents on Demand.
| Oct 7, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: UL Environment releases industry-wide sustainability requirements for doors
ASSA ABLOY Trio-E door is the first to be certified to these sustainability requirements.
| Oct 6, 2011
Taking tenant behavior into account on building energy codes
Over the past few years, Seattle, San Francisco, Austin, and Washington, D.C., have passed laws requiring property owners to measure and disclose their energy use, which would help place a market value on a building’s efficiency and provide a benchmark for improvements.
| Oct 6, 2011
Constructed properly, green roofs hold up well in a hurricane
The heavy rains and high winds of Hurricane Irene didn’t cause any problems for a Con Edison green roof in New York City. The roof contains sedum, a plant that adapts well to drought and handles periods of heavy rain well.
| Oct 6, 2011
RoofPoint: A new green standard for roofs
Structured much like other rating systems, RoofPoint, establishes green standards specifically for roofs.
| Oct 6, 2011
Roofers critical of new OSHA harness rules
Roofers say a new OSHA rule requiring all residential roofers to wear a safety harness makes workers less safe, and is causing lost business for those who comply with the rule.
| Oct 6, 2011
Florida county proposes saving on construction costs by trumping city regulations
This summer, Pinellas County, FL wanted to save money on an $81 million public safety complex in Largo by using the county’s own building regulations and permit fees, not the city’s more expensive fees.
| Sep 30, 2011
OSHA Releases New Nail Gun Safety Document
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have developed a new guidance document, Nail Gun Safety—A Guide for Construction Contractors.
