(1) Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to improve the City's capacity to design, construct and operate City buildings that meet high standards for environmental stewardship and demonstrate City leadership in the area by meeting those standards in connection with large City construction projects. The City is undertaking this initiative to underscore the importance of building high performance green buildings that are responsible and healthy places to live and work and to encourage similar development by private developers within the City.
(2) Definitions. The following definitions shall apply to this Section:
(a) Expenditure of Primarily City Capital Dollars. A circumstance in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the funding for design and construction of a project is based on authorization set forth in the City's annual capital budget appropriations ordinance for expenditure by any City department.
(b) U.S. Green Building Council. The organization that has developed and published the LEED Rating System to measure the energy and environmental performance of a building.
(c) Large City Public Works Project. New construction or major renovation of 10,000 or more gross square feet of enclosed and conditioned building space.
(d) LEED Rating System for New Construction and Major Renovation. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council that establishes performance standards for new construction and major renovation of commercial, institutional and high-rise residential buildings.
(e) Major Renovation. Major HVAC renovation, significant building envelope modification and major interior rehabilitation that in total directly affect more than fifty percent (50%) of the gross floor area of an enclosed and conditioned building space.
(f) New Construction. Design and construction of a new building or ground-up addition to an existing building.
(g) Gold-level LEED Rating. A Gold-level rating based on the LEED Rating System for New Construction and Major Renovation in effect on the date that a City project is registered with the Green Building Certification Institute, with at least 5 points earned in the category of Energy and Atmosphere.
(h) Green Building Certification Institute. The organization that administers project certification for commercial and institutional buildings under the LEED Green Building Rating System.
(3) Contract Requirements.
(a) Every City contract for the design or construction of a large City public works project that, based on the characteristics of the project, is capable of meeting the minimum program requirements for the LEED Rating System for New Construction and Major Renovation, and that involves the expenditure of primarily City capital dollars, shall include requirements that the developer will take all necessary and appropriate steps to obtain certification of the project as a gold-level LEED rating.
(4) Regulations. The Office of Sustainability, subject to the approval of the Director of Finance, is authorized to promulgate such regulations as are necessary and appropriate for the implementation of this Section, which may include but are not limited to: (i) regulations allowing contract requirements pursuant to subsection (3)(a) to be based on attainment of alternative standards for integrated design and high performance that are similar to LEED standards; and (ii) exceptions where strict compliance with the terms of this Ordinance would prohibit the use of federal or state funding in connection with a particular project.
(5) The Office of Sustainability shall prepare and provide to Council an annual summary of the status of City projects that are subject to the terms of this Ordinance.
Notes
| 84 | Added, Bill No. 080025 (approved December 16, 2009). Section 2 of Bill No. 080025 provides: "This Ordinance shall become effective for bids advertised on or after January 1, 2010." Amended, Bill No. 210862-A
(approved January 18, 2022). Section 2 of Bill No. 210862-A
provides: "This Ordinance shall take effect once the necessary implementing regulations are in place." The implementing regulation became law on October 7, 2022. |