On June 2, 2008 (effective July 2, 2008), the Palo Alto City Council adopted the peninsula’s first required green building ordinance. All new construction, both residential and commercial, and some remodels, must meet green checklist requirements which are estimated to add $2,500-10,000 to new home costs. Gosh, with our prices, do you think anyone will notice the additional cost? Green has already been popular in much new construction in Palo Alto, but now it is not elective.
What is required?
Check out this website for details, but in a nutshell, new homes of 2,550 square feet or greater (the maximum allowable on a 5,000 square foot lot) are required to build in at least 70 points using the Build It Green Checklist (more points for more square footage). Home renovations with permits valued at $75,000 or more would need to achieve 70 points on the checklist. http://www.builditgreen.org/greenpoint-rated/guidelines . There are a total of about 450 points available on the Built It Green residential Checklist. Build It Green http://www.builditgreen.org/ is a nonprofit organization in Berkeley dedicated to promoting healthy and energy efficient buildings.
Questions?
This new ordiance is likely to significantly increase demand for Green Point Raters, a relatively new class of home inspector. Please give me a call if you’d like a referral to rate your home.
