1. A Green Building Expedited Review Application must be filled out and signed.
2. A completed LEED credits form must accompany the construction documents.
3. The form must identify all of the credits and associated points that the project is incorporating into the design, including all required prerequisites.
4. Complete specifications must accompany the drawings at the time of log-in.
5. A deposit check for the appropriate amount (based on valuation) must be received and a receipt provided to the client.
   $1 – $100,000 = $1,000 deposit
   $100,001 – $1,000,000 = $5,000 deposit
   $1,000,001 and above = $10,000 deposit
6. After the project is logged in, we have three days to make a determination whether we will accept or deny the prioritized status. Public Utilities and Zoning must be notified immediately and given a set of drawings for LEED review.
7. The minimum LEED certification category for a prioritized review is silver.
   Certified 40-49 points
   Silver 50-59 points
   Gold 60-79 points
   Platinum 80+ points
8. Review of the construction documents for LEED silver status is not a review for code compliance. We are verifying that the credits that are registered for LEED certification are clearly identified on the submitted drawings and specifications.
9. A minimum of six energy (EA) points are required when meeting the minimum 50 points for Silver status.

Responsible City Agency: Community & Economic Development & Business Licensing

Introduction

LEED AND ENERGY STAR PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ENERGY CONSERVATION IN THE CITY

The Leadership in Energy in Environmental Design (LEED) rating system is a system created by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), of which Salt Lake City Corporation (City) is an active member, to provide a national standard for healthy environmental and energy efficient design. Various local stakeholders, including architects, planners, environmental consultants, professors, political leaders, energy experts, health officials, and City staff members worked with the City to review the LEED rating system.Presently, LEED offers four (4) levels of certification: “Certified,” “Silver,” “Gold,” and “Platinum.” The standards comprising these different levels are considered to promote a healthy environment, provide long-term cost benefits through efficient use of energy, optimize building performance, and create healthier workplaces for employees and visitors. A project can earn points in each of these areas and the number of points earned determines which of the four levels the project will attain. The City has determined that adherence to LEED standards in certain circumstances is in the best interest of the City by obtaining the energy efficient benefits promoted by those standards. The Energy Star Program (ENERGY STAR) is a joint program of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Department of Energy that helps consumers save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. ENERGY STAR qualified homes are independently verified to meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the EPA. These efficiencies help homeowners save money on utility bills, provide a more comfortable living environment with better indoor air quality, and help the environment. The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index (also known as the Energy-Smart Home Scale) is used by ENERGY STAR to rate the efficiency of a residential building. The ENERGY STAR requirement for a home in Salt Lake City is a HERS Index of 85 or less. The Mayor has determined that constructing homes that meet ENERGY STAR standards (i.e., HERS Index of 85 or less) is in the best interest of the City by reducing the demand for non-renewable energy in the City’s residential buildings. Through LEED and ENERGY STAR standards, the City is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by implementing more sustainable practices, including green building technologies.

Background

THE CITY’S LEGISLATIVE HISTORY REFLECTS A COMMITMENT TO ENERGY CONSERVATION

Buildings are a leading contributor to carbon emissions and climate change. Existing buildings and the building development industry consume nearly half of the total energy used in the United States. The City is committed to increasing efficiency of certain resources, including energy, water, and materials associated with construction projects, as demonstrated by this Executive Order. The City supports green building in both the public and private sectors, a fact that is reflected in the City’s rich legislative history from both the Executive and Legislative branches. On June 8, 2005, Mayor Anderson signed an Executive Order requiring all public buildings owned and controlled by the City to be built or renovated using LEED standards at the “Certified” level. Then, on January 19, 2006, Mayor Anderson signed an amended Executive Order increasing the LEED standard for City owned and controlled buildings to the “Silver” level. On October 17, 2006, the City Council enacted and the Mayor approved Ordinance No. 78 of 2006 (codified at Chapter 18.95 of the Salt Lake City Code), which requires applicable City funded construction projects to achieve, at minimum, a “Silver” certification level of LEED compliance for all new buildings and major renovations of 10,000 square feet or larger. This enactment placed the City among the most progressive cities in the nation in terms of sustainable building policies. Subsequently, on November 7, 2006, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 73 of 2006 encouraging both the Library and the Board of Directors of the Redevelopment Agency to adopt similar LEED standards for applicable building projects funded by the Library Fund and Redevelopment Agency. On November 17, 2006, the City Council enacted and the Mayor approved Ordinance No. 79 of 2006 (codified at Section 18.12.010 of the Salt Lake City Code), which amended its Board of Appeals membership requirement to include one LEED accredited member.

The Purpose of this Executive Order is to Incentivize “Green” Building

The purpose of this Executive Order is to reassert the City’s commitment to green building practices in new construction and major renovations throughout the City, and to provide leadership and guidance in promoting, facilitating, and instituting such practices in the private development community by incentivizing developers who agree in advance to meet and/or exceed the “Silver” level of LEED certification or achieve the standards required for an ENERGY STAR rating for homes.

How the Incentive Will Work – Expedited Plan Review

The City is committed to incentivizing energy efficient and sustainable development and construction on all new construction and major renovation projects throughout the city, and this

Executive Order authorizes the City Building Official to expedite building plan review for that purpose. To support and implement this commitment, the City Building Official shall publish, within 60 days after execution of this Executive Order, the “Expedited Plan Review Process” (Process), to be implemented by the Division of Building Services and Business Licensing (BSL). This Process will be available on the BSL website. This Process will include a section entitled “Standards for Eligible Green Building Projects” that

describes, in detail, the LEED and/or ENERGY STAR requirements, including the type and distribution of points, that will need to be met for a project to qualify under the “Expedited Plan Review Process.” Projects that are in keeping with the City’s aggressive initiative to lessen the impact on the environment will apply for expedited plan review by:

1. Submitting an Application for Expedited Plan Review that demonstrates how the project will meet the City’s current “Standards for Eligible Green Buildings” as documented in the published “Expedited Plan Review Process”
2. Meeting with City staff to discuss how the project will comply with the City’s current “Standards for Eligible Green Buildings”
3. Submitting a refundable Green Building Deposit of $1,000 for projects valued up to and including $100,000; $5,000 for projects valued at more than $100,000 up to and including $1,000,000; and $10,000 for projects valued over $1,000,000. All deposits shall be in the form of a cashier’s check or credit card payment.

After meeting the 3 criteria above, City staff will determine within 3 business days if the project is approved for expedited plan review. If the project is not approved, City staff will notify the applicant and refund the Green Building Deposit within 14 business days.

Green Building Standards

Standards to Meet for Homes and Other Buildings