Fresh Loaf

For months, eco-minded advocates and Atlanta’s real estate and development industries have locked horns over the city’s proposed green building ordinance.

But last Tuesday, city councilmembers gave both sides a Sept. 29 deadline to strike a compromise over the ordinance that supporters say could help Atlanta meet carbon reduction footprint goals, reduce wasteful consumption of energy and water, and become one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the nation.

The ordinance, which would cover all new construction except low-rise residential, has been in the works since June 2008. Put simply, it’s a helluva bill that encourages less water and energy use and encourages buildings designed to save energy. Sustainable Atlanta, the nonprofit group that’s been tasked with drafting the complicated legislation, tweaked and modified the provisions after Atlanta’s real estate and development community raised concerns.

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When we first reported on the city’s proposed sustainable building ordinance, a monster piece of legislation that would require most new construction in Atlanta to be more eco-friendly, word was that it was expected to sail through. After all, what better time than one of the worst development markets in recent memory to push for a policy that’s poised to make the city more green and help future residents save cash on their energy bills?

Well, things changed. At yesterday’s Atlanta City Council Community Development and Human Resources committee meeting, councilmembers decided to table the legislation.

The basic line we’re hearing from sources is that there were some provisions in the ordinance that stakeholders wanted to “review.” That’s code for “wait a gosh darn minute, we’ve got some concerns!”

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On Tuesday, July 28, an Atlanta City Council committee will discuss the long-planned “sustainable building ordinance,” a beast of a bill that dictates green-building standards for new construction. Supporters say it could make Atlanta one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the country.

The legislation — which has been in the works since last summer — is a key part of the Sustainable Atlanta Initiative, a multi-pronged approach to meet Mayor Shirley Franklin’s goal to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. (PDF of Sustainable Building Ordinance) Included in the ordinance are water-conservation measures, energy-efficiency guidelines, material requirements and various other green-building standards.

At more than 65 pages, the bill covers everything from sink fixtures in your home to spray wands at the car wash. Buildings must meet one or four green-building certifications, including EarthCraft or LEED certification. Under the current language, only new commercial, residential, institutional and industrial buildings taller than three stories would be required to comply with the ordinance. Single-family homes, structures that don’t require running water or electricity and historic buildings would be exempt. The ordinance would take effect one year after passage. It’s an ambitious initiative and worth a look.

Green building codes have the tendency to become hot-button issues. Some traditional builders and developers have argued that the standards are unfair, expensive and that government has no right to set mandates to reduce the effects of global warming. Architects and urban planners usually applaud them because they enforce methods that are lend to better-built homes that lessen our impact on the environment while also saving homeowners money.

We’ve called the usual suspects to see if there’s any concern in their camps. We haven’t heard back just yet.

After the jump, I’ve pasted one paragraph that caught my eye for its potential impact on people who might enjoy the occasional Pall Mall in their chic, hi-rise apartment.

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The Natural Resources Defense Council, a well-regarded environmental nonprofit based in New York, this week released its list of the country’s most green, or sustainable, cities. Seattle received top honors, followed by San Francisco and Portland, Ore.

Compared to other cities with a population over 250,000, Atlanta ranked 33rd.

The rankings are based on, left to right: air quality, energy production and conservation, environmental standards and participation, green building, green space, recycling programs, transit, standard of living and water quality.

The ranking’s a bit disappointing when you consider how much energy the city’s invested in such initiatives as Sustainable Atlanta, the sewer overhaul and the Beltline. Those programs, however, are still far from completion. The city leads the country in the number of LEED-certified buildings, but that’ll only get you so far when you consider the programs such cities as Seattle and Chicago have launched.

Athens ranked 14th on the list of medium-sized cities. Roswell ranked 23rd among among smaller cities.

(Courtesy of NRDC)

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The answer: 540,000 metric tonnes, equivalent to the household energy use of 150,000 Atlanta residents or 98,000 passenger vehicles. That’s according to Georgia Tech professors and students who helped the city analyze its annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Mayor Shirley Franklin announced the city’s carbon footprint in conjunction with the inaugural report by Sustainable Atlanta, the city’s partner project with a consulting firm. Franklin has set a goal to reduce the city’s carbon emissions seven percent by 2012. The next step involves creating an Atlanta Climate Action Plan.

Some goals — as well as some hopes for Obamabucks — are after the jump.

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Environmentally-friendly construction product maker GreenTech is coming to Coffee County! And it’s bringing jobs, people! Wonderful, delicious jobs.

From Gov. Sonny Perdue’s offfice:

Governor Sonny Perdue today announced that environmentally-friendly construction product maker GreenTech Manufacturing plans to locate a new facility in Douglas. The company will create 320 jobs and invest more than $20 million in a manufacturing and distribution facility.

…(Ed. This is the part where we skip Perdue’s quote about “moving forward,” “real solutions,” “dynamic synergy,” etc.)

GreenTech Manufacturing has contracted a 103,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution center located on nine acres in Douglas’s Southwest Industrial Park. GreenTech is wholly owned by Gulf Coast Arms, a nonprofit trust incorporated in Texas, whose mission is to foster sustainability and affordability solutions across the country and abroad.

GreenTech uses the innovative Powder Impression Molding (PIM) system to produce stronger-than-steel, lightweight construction products using up to 95 percent recycled materials from single-stream solid waste sources. The result is an environmentally sustainable, efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional construction products such as metal, wood, concrete and fiberglass.

Jobs! Full release after the jump.

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One of the many downsides about the building boom slowdown: Atlanta was one of several cities catching on to the common sense practice of green building.

According to a recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency, the city ranks ninth in the nation when it comes to energy-efficient buildings, behind Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., and ahead of Seattle. Los Angeles tops the list.

The federal agency says Atlanta has 97 Energy Star qualified buildings — or 24 million square feet of floorspace. Owners of the buildings save an estimated $16.4 million each year on their energy bills.

To view the top 25 cities with energy-efficient buildings, visit the EPA’s website. You can also view the specific buildings according to city, ZIP code and specifications.

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Interesting news coming out of Doraville:

Starting February 2009, the city will require all private developments more than 20,000 square feet to be LEED certified. Municipal buildings will have to meet the program’s standards regardless of size.

“With the GM plant redevelopment and so many other revitalization opportunities on the horizon, this is a big step in making sure that we attract high quality developers,” Mayor Ray Jenkins said in a press release.

Neighboring Chamblee passed the same ordinance earlier this year. The two cities are the only ones in the Southeast that require sustainable and energy-efficient buildings within their limits.

“Buildings are second only to transportation in energy consumption,” said Mayor Pro Tem Bob Roche. “Passage of the LEED ordinance will promote profitable buildings in Doraville that are energy efficient, environmentally responsible, and healthy places to live, work and play. My fellow council members, the mayor and our citizens deserve a lot of credit supporting this endeavor.”

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Trash talk can be taken as a good sign for the environment — at least when it’s between competitors on the trade-show floor at the annual Greenprints conference on sustainable building.

And all it took was a little prodding.

“Geothermal cannot get you a good return,” Jay Sampat, who manufacturers solar water-heating panels, declared when asked why someone should select solar over the competing technology of geothermal heat pumps.

Humbug, geothermal installer Kenny Libby shot back when told what Sampat said: “Those poor, poor solar guys.”

All of which makes Atlanta’s lead pied piper for green building somewhat happy. “That is great. … It’s the free market system,” the Southface Energy Institute’s Dennis Creech said last week during the conference at the Westin Peachtree Plaza. He notes that one in 10 new commercial projects now seeks eco-certification, when only a few years ago green building usually was considered just a “demonstration project.” “This is not just a movement. This is now a smart way of doing business.”

The meeting displayed loads of cool devices designed not only to save the world but also to get green-geeks like me excited. And it was truly startling to witness dozens of presentations from green builders who literally are changing Atlanta’s landscape daily.

Above: TOILET TALK: Denise Grimm (left) grabs a card from Andrea Paulinelli of Eco Transitions. Paulinelli was at Greenprints to extol her water-efficient commodes. Photo shot by: Joeff Davis

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