EVERETT – New city buildings will be constructed following what are considered to be environmentally friendly standards.
A ordinance approved by the City Council requires new buildings 5,000 square feet or larger to meet certification standards set in a program run by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council.
At a previous meeting, the City Council considered a similar bill calling for city construction projects to seek certification from the Washington, D.C.-based group.
The revised ordinance, proposed by City Councilman Ron Gipson, is intended to give more impetus to the city’s commitment to build green.
Meeting the standards will likely add 1 percent to 5 percent to construction costs, according to city estimates.
More energy-efficient buildings, though, are expected to save taxpayers money by lowering what the city pays for electricity.
The rule applies only to city buildings.
Some of the first to follow the new rules could be a new animal shelter planned for Smith Island and a new fire station to serve the waterfront and downtown.
San Diego developer Oliver-McMillan proposes to use the same program while constructing a mix of shops and condos on a 221-acre site southeast of downtown on a former dump and paper mill on the Snohomish River.
Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson is a signatory to the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement of 2005.
The document pledges the city to try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012.
Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429 or dchircop@heraldnet.com.
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