San Francisco has emerged as a leader in the Bay Area by enacting a comprehensive set of green building standards that include aggressive mandates. On November 3, 2008, a new chapter of San Francisco’s Building Code, Green Building Ordinance, Chapter 13C went into effect. The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection also released an administrative bulletin, AB-093 on September 24, 2008 to accompany the code and provide a comprehensive guide to the new requirements.
The new chapter of the building code includes sustainability requirements for new construction and substantial remodel work in both the residential and commercial context. The regulations incorporate elements of the USGBC’s LEED rating system as well as the GreenPoint rating system for residential construction and make several of these voluntary systems mandatory practice. San Francisco’s new codes promote energy reduction and sustainable practices but also focus on stringent requirements in two particular areas: water efficiency and waste reduction. Recognizing a key environmental challenge the city faces is scarcity of water, the chapter focuses on water reduction and efficient use by requiring certain buildings to meet standards and develop ways to maintain site imperviousness, prevent post-development peak discharge rates, protect existing on-site stream channels, capture rainwater, recycle gray water, and choose to plant specific vegetation that reduces run-off. Another major element the city chose to focus on is reducing the amount of waste that is generated during the actual construction process by mandating strict on-site separation of materials for recycling and composting. For a complete detailed summary of the specific requirements of Chapter 13C check out the full article here:
SF Green Building Code Analysis
San Francisco has taken a strong stand by enacting this new chapter into their building code and cities and towns on the verge of creating their own green building ordinances will most likely look at Chapter 13C as an innovative and aggressive benchmark.
