Green first
Manhattan Beach became the first city in the South Bay to adopt a sustainable building ordinance Tuesday night.
Under the new ordinance, municipal buildings or publicly funded projects of 5,000 square feet or more must attain the U.S. Green Building Council’s “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” or LEED Gold certification or better. All new private projects of 10,000 square feet or more, whether new construction or renovation, must show LEED Silver equivalence or better.
LEED has four levels — certified, silver, gold and platinum — that are achieved by earning a series of points from several categories including water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation in design and regional priorities.
LEED-rated buildings have been shown to secure higher rents, quicker sales and higher occupancy rates, according to staff reports. Most important for the city is the long term return on investment for constructing sustainable buildings.
Using a hypothetical renovation of the Joslyn Community Center as an example, Environmental Task Force member Chris Conaway said by achieving LEED Gold, the municipal building would be 30 percent more energy efficient than if it simply met current codes, and 40 percent more water efficient. Though the initial cost of construction would be nearly $2.5 million, the LEED payback would be seen in 12.5 years, with a total savings of $350,000 over a 40-year lifetime.
“Payback is significant,” Conaway said of LEED-certified buildings. In addition, he said, many municipalities and private entities are choosing the sustainable route based on social responsibility and competitive market edge rather than return on investment.
Mayor Portia Cohen said she wants to ensure the city doesn’t overburden any businesses with a high cost of constructing to LEED standards.
“They’re our lifeblood,” she said.
Conaway said the higher upfront investments lead to overall greater cost savings and other potential benefits like higher rent, higher property value, higher sales and productivity, and lower insurance rates. ER