Introduction
In September 1994
Santa Monica's City Council adopted the Santa Monica Sustainable City
Program. This program was developed by the city's Task Force on the
Environment as a way to create the basis for a more sustainable way
of life -- one that safeguards and enhances local resources, prevents
harm to the natural environment and human health, and strengthens the
community and local economy -- for the sake of current and future generations.
Conventional design
and construction methods produce buildings that can negatively impact
the environment as well as occupant health and productivity. These buildings
are expensive to operate and contribute to excessive resource consumption,
waste generation, and pollution. To help reduce these impacts and meet
the goals of the Sustainable City Program, the Task Force recommended
that the City adopt a set of guidelines to facilitate the development
of "green" buildings in Santa Monica without forcing excessive
costs or other burdens upon developers, building owners or occupants.
The Green Building
Design and Construction Guidelines were developed over a three-year
period by City staff and Sheltair Scientific Ltd., a sustainable design consultant
team, with extensive input from the local design, construction and development
community. The Guidelines include required and recommended practices
that are intended to reduce life-cycle environmental impacts associated
with the construction and operation of both commercial and municipal
developments and major remodel projects in Santa Monica. They provide
specific "green" design and construction strategies in the
following topic areas: Building Site and Form, Landscaping, Transportation,
Building Envelope and Space Planning, Building Materials, Water Systems,
Electrical Systems, HVAC Systems, Control Systems, Construction Management,
and Commissioning.
The Guidelines were
developed for, and specifically apply to, the following building types:
- Institutional and
Commercial Offices
- Light Industrial
Buildings
- Commercial Retail
Buildings
- Multi-Family Residences
- Hotels and Motels
They are not intended
to address development of single-family residential dwellings and duplexes,
high rise buildings, or occupancies with special process demands (heavy
industrial operations, car washes, service garages, etc.), however many
of the recommended practices presented in the Guidelines are relevant
to these building types as well.
