Town eyes building policy

The Chapel Hill Town Council wants to update the town’s Energy Conservation Ordinance and join a unique environmental certification program, all at the same time.

A decision on the proposal, which would strengthen environmental standards for all buildings constructed by the town of Chapel Hill, was delayed Monday until May 9.

The proposal would require the town to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver-level certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for all new buildings and additions of more than 5,000 square feet.

This certification is based on such criteria as water-efficient landscaping, use of alternative transportation and recycled content.

The current standard is for town buildings to use 30 percent less energy than the State Building Code required as of Feb. 1, 1997.

Philip Hervey, senior planner in the town’s planning department, said the certification process provides an extra level of environmental protection, but from an outsider’s perspective.

“You’re verifying it through a third-party review,” he said.

Council Member Dorothy Verkerk said the new standard would be advantageous because it is not time-sensitive.

Hervey said there would probably be a slight increase in the cost of buildings under the new system — 2 1/2 to 4 percent of constructions cost, based on an estimate from the U.S. General Services Administration.

But that cost might be offset by later energy savings. He said the increase in construction costs would have some impact on town development decisions, but not a huge one.

“It’s just another factor in the overall project,” Hervey said.

The council delayed action because members wanted the change to take the form of an ordinance.

Town staff had recommended a policy resolution, which would allow the staff more flexibility in determining to which projects to apply the standard.

Town Manager Cal Horton reiterated to the council that an ordinance would be constraining.

“I think having it in an ordinance will give council no discretion, and I will have to bring every project to you with a LEED certification,” he said. “You would have to do things that you don’t want to do.”

Council members said they wanted the Council Committee on Sustainability, Energy and Environment to further tweak the proposed ordinance.

They also asked the committee to redesign the section detailing which buildings can be exempted from the requirement.

The committee’s original ordinance allowed the council to grant waivers of the new requirement for projects below the 5,000-square-foot cutoff. The staff’s proposed resolution had no specific trigger.

Council members wanted the reworked proposal to include waivers for larger structures that were too simple in design to meet the new criteria, such as large storage sheds.

 

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