Green Buildings Take Off in Palo Alto

The last three years have seen significant growth in the number of green buildings in Palo Alto, according to a City Auditor report released this week.

The Green Building Program, which was established in 2009 by the Department of Planning and Community Environment, was launched to build a new generation of efficient buildings that are “environmentally responsible and healthy places to live and work,” according to the “Service Efforts and Accomplishments FY 2011” report.

The Planning department processed 961 permit applications last year, a 73 percent increase over the previous year.

Residents, meanwhile, are taking notice. Of the residents surveyed for the report about their attitudes toward green building, 82 percent said the City is “good” or “excellent” on water and energy preservation.

The auditor says the Green Building Program has already influenced more than $187 million of project valuation and 1,249,758 sq. ft. of “green” construction.

An estimated 2,000 people are today working or living in green buildings throughout the city, according to the report.

Before the program launched, only six green buildings were on the books in Palo Alto. Today there are more than 240 completed or under construction, according to the report. The buildings all adhere to the building standards developed by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Build It Green GreenPoint Rated (GPR), or the California Green Building Code with locally adopted enhanced measures (CALGreen).

Last year, the Planning department launched two more sustainability initiatives, including the first-in-the-nation LEED-ND pilot program (LEED for Neighborhood Development). The LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system is out of its pilot stage and is now accepting applications, just like the other LEED rating systems. This program will assess an entire neighborhood’s qualification as sustainable and include requirements for reduced dependence on cars, better walkability, and encouraged healthy living.

The other sustainability program will require building owners to disclose energy use during small renovations so that the City can better understand usage and determine where education, policy and programs can reduce usage.