Incentives for Going Green

[Mule]

Do any of your jurisdictions offer any incentives for Green buildings new or existing?

 

[Coug Dad]

Seattle has given additional height and area otherwise permitted by the Land Use Code for Leed Silver or better.

Projects in San Francisco that are not green enough go to the back of the line for plan review

 

[vegas paul]

Nope. We haven't even adopted the IECC, much less seen green projects. But I'm working on the IECC! My previous jurisdiction was considering some reduced fees for green, but with the current slow-down, they aren't reducing fees for anything!

 

[Mule]

Thanks,

After further research some of the incentives I have found are things like tax abatements, marketing of the business on the city web site, density and height bonuses, full or partial refunds from development fees and expedited permitting process.

 

[MarkRandall]

Interesting to have incentives for increased height or area, etc. Makes me wonder how this is enforced. It can take a year after occupancy before receiving a LEED certification. What happens when that LEED Silver building doesn't make LEED Silver? I'm all for incentives for "green" construction but putting hinging that on the level of certification from LEED does not make sense to me.

 

[jacs]

We have recently started offering a fee reduction on permit submittals that qualify. You can get up to 50% off of the permit fee if depending on how "green" the building is going to be.

 

[Mule]

Interesting to have incentives for increased height or area, etc

Yeah, I had a concern on that one too. In our area we couldn't offer density or height incentives because of the zoning requirements.

jacs, as tight as the economy is; offering fee reductions for permit fees would knock us out of the park. Of course we don't charge a plan review fee.

Hmmmmmmmm maybe that would be a way to offer an incentive. Start charging a plan review fee and offer an incentive to reduce the plan review fee all the way down to $0 depending on how green the structure would be....

 

[mtlogcabin]

Why should a taxpayers of a jurisdiction subsidize a developer wanting to use a technology/concept that is out side the minimum building codes? Oh yeah I forgot you are probably trying to apply for a grant and you won't qualify if your jurisdiction does not offer incentives. Brownfield grants come to mind

I am beginning to believe conarb Green is just amarketing ploy to make some feel good and others a way to make a lot of money at the taxpayers expense.

 

[jacs]

In my jurisdiction, the permit/inspection office does not take money from the general fund to run. Our department is self-sufficient, run on permit fees, violation fees, etc. So it shouldn't really cost the taxpayer anything for us to offer a fee reduction. Its a new process for us; so far only a few projects have been submitted. Basically they submit, pay the full fee amount, then the project is evaluated by our Office of Sustainablility to see if its LEED certified and to what degree, and then they get a partial refund anywhere between 10%-50% of the permit fee only (not the application or plan review fees).

 

[Mule]

Texas, Harris County

On May 20, 2008, the Harris County Commissioners Court adopted an ordinance establishing a partial tax abatement for costs incurred by developers to certify buildings with the U.S. Green Building Council. Buildings that meet the Certified level would be eligible for tax abatements of 1 percent of the construction costs. Buildings with higher ratings would get higher discounts with buildings that meet the platinum certification level eligible for tax abatements of 10 percent of the construction costs.

El Paso Texas

On September 11, 2007, the El Paso City Council unanimously adopted the Green Building Grant Program, providing grants for commercial and multi-family, multi-story residential projects earning LEED certification. Grants are awarded only upon receipt of a certificate of occupancy and review of LEED certification wherein ten (10) of the seventeen (17) available points in Energy & Atmosphere credit category must be earned. Grants are awarded at increasing intervals determining on level of certification. Maximum grant allowance is $200,000 for LEED Platinum for new construction and $400,000 for LEED Platinum for “multistory existing buildings” that are mixed use and that have been 50% vacant for 5 years, and as further defined by the City.

 

[smeismer]

In my experience, "green" generally means unusual materials or construction, or systems, or additional paperwork. These inevitably take our inspectors, reviewers, clerks more time than "conventional" construction. As our department is entirely funded by permit fees, properly these projects should be charged a premium rather than a reduction in fee. If it is public policy to promote "green" construction, then it should be on the backs of the public, not the contractors and new building owners. If it is truly to be public policy, then criteria must be established for any incentive payment. For example, energy useage per square foot, or dollar per square foot cost, or 10 year maintainance cost per square foot, etc. Again, it is my perception that many of these "green" buildings can cost more to build, cost more to maintain. Those that do not may well be something that society should reward, but do we want to pay incentive otherwise?

 

[Architect1281]

My opinion of Green and Leed is basically same old stuff new wrapper.

I would tell any one who wants a financial incentive for doing maybe what you should have done anyway

what I tell my childrern when they wanted money for A's or B's on the report card

"Good Grades are their own reward"

the most useful part of LEED is commissioning (making sure you get what you pay for)

as opposed to the general "CATNAP" method of construction.

(Cheapest Available Technology Necessary to Avoid Prosecution)

 

[Mule]

Well we had our meeting last night. All of that stinking work and the only thing that came out of it was...Naaaaa, we'll just leave things the way they are!

 

[mtlogcabin]

Then I say Congratulations on a Great Job

Green is a tool should stand on it's own that an owner or designer can choose to use without any incentive

Do you offer incentives to install sprinklers or smoke detectors in buildings, How about accessibility any incentives for those requirements?

My rant for Friday

 

[Min&Max]

Believing in the "new" Green/Leed initiative with all its BS only proves the P.T. Barnum theory is as valid as ever.

 

[incognito]

Creating "green jobs" = back door taxes.

 

[RJJ]

MT: I agree! Although ADA does allow for tax credits for improvements and I believe it is up to 5k. It becomes a nice tool when an applicant is not willing to comply. Put a hole new light on the subject before you reject the plan! LOL

 

[peach]

jacs.. i've been in the same boat as you.. the problem with being an enterprise fund is that when you start having to "give back".. it comes out of your contingency fund. As typical with politicians, they want the incentives to come out of your wallet rather than out of property taxes...

 

[jacs]

Peach...I suppose I don't see a problem with it...until it's literally coming out of my already sad excuse for a paycheck! We've had a freeze on raises in this jurisdiction for over 10 years (at least a freeze for peons like me). Hopefully it won't become too popular

 

[peach]

Think of it as a business decision... you have "X" dollars as your budget.. if the politicians are proposing waiving permit fees, stand up and say "NO".. if the incentives come from property taxes, say "yeah, ok"