Fresh Loaf

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 Atlanta Botanical Garden has responded to the environmental news site which last week questioned whether the Piedmont Park, er, parking deck was as “green” as it’s been touted.

After the jump, the garden’s PR people point out what they say were factual errors in Grist’s article. They even invite the Seattle-based news service out for a tour.

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Environmental news site Grist has an interesting post today questioning whether the controversial parking deck in Piedmont Park is as “green” — or LEED-certified — as its proponents have claimed.

But the pro-parking deck forces point to its green attributes, and even named it “SAGE”—for Safety Access Greenspace and Expansion. Per the Conservancy’s website, the garage was built to LEED standards, with shaded areas for cars to reduce heat island effect; increased access to the park for visitors; a “virtually invisible” structure within several years, when the potted trees finally blossom; special parking spots for hybrids and such; a top-level bike rack; and rainwater capture to irrigate the gardens.

Hm. Other than the last two ingredients, pretty much none of its touted green factors are particularly green, nor are they part of the LEED system. In fact, the U.S. Green Building Council has no record of the SAGE parking facility—it was neither registered (the first step toward certification) nor certified. And a parking garage isn’t eligible for LEED certification—a building, says Scot Horst, senior vice president of LEED, must have at least one resident to even be considered.

Foes of the parking deck weren’t mollified by the LEED claims—“Putting trees in pots on a concrete monstrosity didn’t transform the essential nature of the beast,” says [Friends of Piedmont Park board member Jack White]—but the even more troubling thing, at least to the folks who oversee LEED, is the misuse of their carefully crafted system. LEED has endured a lot of criticism in its 13-year history—for being too complex, not accounting for regional differences, costing too much to achieve, etc.—and has responded with a user-friendlier version, dubbed LEED 3.0, this year. But, says Horst, if a project isn’t officially certified, “you have no idea what [developers] mean” when they use the term. (The Piedmont conservancy did not return email requests for comment.)

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The Atlanta Regional Commission today launched a program that offers voluntary “green” certification for local governments.

From the ARC, the most badass planning agency in the world (take that, Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Organization!):

The Green Communities Certification is intended to foster greater environmental stewardship by recognizing local governments that invest in programs leading to a more sustainable region. While some statewide programs exist around the U.S. and many individual governments have developed sustainability programs to reduce their environmental footprint, ARC’s Green Communities program is the first regional “green” certification program in the country.

Cities and counties that choose to participate can win points if they implement measures among 10 different categories including green building, green power and water-use reduction and efficiency. Each measure, depending on its difficulty and effectiveness, is worth five to 10 points. The number of points the county or local government racks up determines what level certification it receives.

So what’s it going to take to convince a city or county — many of whom are cash strapped in these tough times — to pursue such an initiative? Maybe just hammering into their brains that the “cost” of these programs is really an investment. And that thinking long-term isn’t just responsible — it also saves cash by slashing energy bills and maintenance costs. Sure, they’ll have to work with the groups or stakeholders who oppose the changes — i.e. the DeKalb County Toilet Wars© — to reach a compromise. But it’s worth it.

The commission begins accepting applications in January 2009. For more information about the program and to view the application, click here.

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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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