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
Codes and Standards | Jan 6, 2022
Virginia contractors having a tough time finding diverse subs to meet state goals
Survey of primes may indicate similar issues at federal level.
Codes and Standards | Jan 5, 2022
Boston drops parking requirements for affordable housing
Measure expected to spur new projects.
Codes and Standards | Jan 4, 2022
Dept. of Energy Better Climate Challenge aims for 50% GHG emission reduction by 2030
Program offers technical assistance and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing.
Codes and Standards | Jan 4, 2022
Architects at New York firm take steps to unionize
Support for unionization reported at two other New York firms.
Codes and Standards | Jan 3, 2022
Biden’s executive order for a carbon-neutral government includes green materials mandate
As a driver of demand, federal procurement impact could ripple through the economy.
Codes and Standards | Jan 3, 2022
Controversial California solar power incentive proposal would reduce subsidies
Plan intended to encourage customers to install power storage systems.
Codes and Standards | Jan 3, 2022
New York City bans new gas hookups
Applies to gas stoves, boilers, and heaters in new buildings and buildings that undergo gut renovations.
Codes and Standards | Jan 3, 2022
New engineering guide on fire safety for very tall buildings released
Topics include emergency egress, fire resistance, building envelope, suppression, detection, alarms, and smoke control.
Codes and Standards | Dec 22, 2021
Updated ASCE 7-22 standard includes first-ever criteria for tornado-resistant design
New document provides up-to-date, coordinated loading provisions for general structural design.
Codes and Standards | Dec 21, 2021
Outdated and redundant building codes plague St. Louis area development
Region’s combined codes nearly double the length of the IRS Code.
