Item C: Resolution Adopting Sustainable Buildings Policy

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value of design options are assessed as investments. LCA is an inclusive approach to assessing the envi- ronmental and financial impact of a program, facility, or group of facilities, and encompasses planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance over the useful life of a facility. The goal of LCA is to achieve the highest, most cost-effective environmental performance possible over the life of the project. When integrated design and life cycle assessment are combined, better and more affordable development strategies emerge. The City should use life cycle costs assessments that are available for sustainable building practices and materials. Due to the developing nature of sustainable building practices and appearance of new technologies, life cycle cost information may not be available for the full range of sustainable design or program options. In this case, the economic criteria may be applied that sustainable measures be initially cost neutral, or for long-term cost saving measures with higher initial costs, have a payback period of up to 10 years. Another aspect of implementing a sustainable building policy is the adoption of Commissioning as a standard practice. Commissioning is a way of ensuring that specific performance standards for building systems are included in the project specifications, and that a building’s systems are meeting those per- formance criteria once a project is completed. Commissioning is an added project management tool, and can increase the initial cost of construction. However, proper implementation of commissioning should decrease the long-term operating cost of a building’s heating and cooling system and overall energy use. For existing buildings, adoption of commissioning as an operating practice would be a new program, with a benefit/cost impact dependent on the nature of each specific building. Commissioning is a LEED requirement for any building, new or existing, to achieve certification. For building projects or existing buildings not required to achieve certification, commissioning should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and implemented if there will be an overall positive benefit. Commis- sioning is not expected to be of benefit for non-occupied buildings, due to the minimal electrical and mechanical systems typically used in un-staffed facilities. What are the Exemptions? Technical exemptions have been discussed above, related to limitations due to funding sources and type of construction that lacks building systems needed for certification. For “certifiable” projects, any policy may have unintended consequences when applied to “real life” situations. Exemptions should be de- signed to allow resolution of unforeseen problems, while supporting the underlying goal of the sustainability of City buildings. An important underlying assumption is that sustainable buildings have significantly lower ongoing operations and maintenance costs. Some sustainable building practices may have higher initial costs, compared to standard construction practices. The more “cutting edge” the technology—such as photo- voltaics or building-scale wind generation—the higher this initial cost premium may be. Using LEED criteria as a standard will help achieve the expected long-term cost savings, as the LEED rating system emphasizes efficiencies in building heating, cooling and electrical systems, reduced water use, and low- maintenance finishes and grounds that significantly reduce operating costs. However, the expectation that sustainable building practices can be “cost neutral” may not be true in all cases. The recommendation is that, in the case where certification at the Silver level is not cost-neutral, the requirement for certification may be decreased to a “Certified” level or waived a) if those costs are more than 10% above the estimated cost of construction without those measures, b) if the additional costs are related to sustainability goals and certification requirements which have not been formally accepted by the organization providing external funding, or c) the City Manager determines that the interest of the public is best served by an exemption. To ensure the application of this exemption is used judiciously, a finding of the need for certification at lower than the Silver level or waiver of the certification requirement will be made prior to construction of a project. 5