Performance
Ordinances in Santa Monica
Two Santa Monica
Municipal Code ordinances aim at higher environmental and resource
performance of buildings than state or federal requirements. These
performance-based ordinances require building projects to meet or
exceed a performance target, but allow complete flexibility in the
methods used. These targets have been set to reduce resource or environmental
impacts, using cost-effective and well-proven design and construction
strategies. Santa Monica’s two building performance ordinances
focus on reducing energy consumption and runoff of untreated storm water.
This web site sets
out many Recommended Practices that offer different ways to satisfy
and surpass these performance requirements. These Recommended Practices
provide of techniques to respond to the unique opportunities and constraints
of a specific project. While the SMMC performance ordinances do not
require the use of any particular method, they require documents demonstrating
that the design meets minimum performance targets.
Building Energy
Conservation Ordinance
The City of Santa
Monica requires lower annual energy consumption than California’s
2001 Title 24 regulation. Santa Monica Municipal Code requires more
stringent annual non-renewable energy budgets, summarized in the following
table.
These annual energy
conservation targets are based on detailed computer energy simulations
of archetypal buildings that comply with Santa Monica’s zoning
and building ordinances, and the 2001 Title 24 regulation. Computer
model inputs and targets for Santa Monica were independently reviewed
for accuracy and cost-effectiveness by respected architects, quantity
surveyors and energy engineers familiar with construction practices
in the City.
Santa Monica’s
building energy performance ordinance is based on California’s
Title 24 regulation, which is still applicable in the City. However,
Santa Monica’s ordinance requires use of computer simulations
following Title 24’s Performance Approach to demonstrate that
non-residential buildings meet the energy conservation target.
Design teams of
non-residential buildings are required to submit two reports to the
City on energy performance of their designs:
A report summarizing
preliminary computer energy analysis performed during conceptual design,
as part of the development permit application; and
A report summarizing
the final computer simulation demonstrating that the final design
complies with the above targets, as part of the building permit application.
For residential
buildings with more than two dwelling units, two methods can be used
to demonstrate compliance with Santa Monica’s Building Energy
Conservation Ordinance:
computer energy
simulations following the same requirements listed above for non-residential
buildings; or documentation submitted
for the building permit following Title 24’s Prescriptive Standards,
and incorporating the following list of energy-conserving construction
features:
- All windows and
glass patio doors equipped with double-glazed, low-emissivity glazing,
with center- of-glass U-value not more than 0.260 Btu/(hr.sq.ft.
deg.F.), and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient not more than 0.375.
- The average efficacy
of all fixed lighting fixtures installed within dwelling units not
less than 40 lumens watt (typically T8 and compact fluorescent lamps).
- Space heating
appliances with Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) not less
than 92%.
- Space cooling
appliances (if installed) with Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
not less than 12.
These multi-family
residential building energy conservation measures have been demonstrated
to result in 10-15% reduction in annual source energy use.
Click here to download
the Santa Monica Energy Code Compliance Application (SMECCA)
Stormwater Management
Performance Ordinance
The City of Santa
Monica’s Urban Runoff Reduction ordinance (SMMC 7.10.060) requires
that new development and substantial remodels prepare and submit an
Urban Runoff Mitigation Plan. The Ordinance and the Runoff Plan are
designed to reduce the amount of polluted runoff that reaches our
storm drain system and Santa Monica Bay. The Ordinance requires a
20% reduction in urban runoff from all new developments and substantial
remodels within the City. The Ordinance also specifies guidelines
for existing properties and sites under construction to reduce the
level of contaminants carried by urban runoff into the Bay.
The most critical
aspect of complying with the Ordinance is incorporating urban runoff
reduction into the design of the project. The Urban Runoff Reduction
Ordinance is a performance-based ordinance in that it requires a certain
level of compliance, yet does not specifically prescribe specific
methods that must be used to comply. These Guidelines help designers
comply with the ordinance by high-lighting some of the more cost-effective
measures that have been used in the City of Santa Monica.
When submitting
a project for first planning approval, every applicant is required
to submit an Urban Runoff Mitigation Plan to the City’s Engineering
Division. The Plan must show that the projected urban runoff from
the project will be reduced by at least 20%. To accomplish a 20% reduction
in runoff the project should maximize the amount of permeable area
and minimize the amount of runoff flowing toward impermeable areas.
The Site & Form section of this document provides more detail.
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