What is “Green Building”?

Green building is a collection of land-use, building design, and construction strategies that reduce the environmental impacts that buildings have on their surroundings.  Arlington County has adopted the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Green Building Rating System as a way to measure the energy and environmental performance of buildings in the County. The LEED™ rating system allots points within six specific categories for environmentally beneficial building materials and design, in categories such as site location, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. LEED ™ is an easy  way for any professional, business, or organization to master green building standards and practices. Read a brochure about Arlington County's Green Building (1 MB, PDF format) programs.

 Cost and Green Buildings

The cost of going green is often raised as an issue.  Thoughtful project planning and team coordination – a process known as “integrated design” -- helps ensure that green components are integrated into the project as cost effectively and efficiently as possible.  In many cases, “green” does not cost more.  In other cases, efficient HVAC equipment, additional insulation, water efficient fixtures, etc. may cost more upfront, but operating costs can be significantly reduced through the life of the building due to lower utility bills and reduced maintenance.   Information and studies on the cost of green building are continually being published.  The US Green Building Council website (LINK)  maintains an up-to-date list of cost studies for green buildings.

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 Green Building Site Plan Conditions in Arlington (Private Development)

Arlington County encourages site plan projects to incorporate green building components and processes. Site plan projects are development projects seeking special exception to the Zoning Ordinance. The goal of this program is to reduce the environmental impacts of development. Read a brochure about Arlington County's Green Building (1 MB, PDF format) program.  The program includes the following requirements:

1.                       LEED™ Accredited Professional. The program requires that all site plan projects have a LEED™ Accredited Professional on the development and construction team.

2.                       LEED™ Scorecard. All site plan applications in Arlington County must include the LEED™ scorecard with an explanation of all the LEED prerequisites each LEED™ credit, describing how they intend to achieve the credit, or why they are unable to incorporate the component into the project. This allows the County to measure a project’s overall performance and to collect data on the environmental status of all site plan buildings in the County.

3.                       LEED™ Tracking. During project negotiation, a final number of LEED™ credits is identified and the commitment to incorporate them into the project is formalized in a site plan condition. This condition requires that reports be submitted with specific building permit applications. These reports track the progress of LEED™ prerequisites and components throughout the demolition and construction process. Permits will not be issued if LEED™ reports are incomplete.

4.                       Construction Waste Management. The developer agrees to provide a plan for diverting from landfill disposal the demolition, construction, and land clearing debris generated by the project. The plan should outline recycling and/or reuse of waste generated during demolition and/or construction. The plan should outline specific waste streams and identify the means by which waste will be managed (reused, reprocessed on site, removed by licensed haulers for reuse/recycling, disposal, etc.).

5.                       Energy Star Appliances for Multi-family Residential Development. In order to reduce energy used by standard appliances and fixtures in high-rise residential projects, the following standard language is included in the green building site plan condition (modifications may be made on a case-by-case basis)

For residential development, the developer agrees that all of the following types of appliances, fixtures, and/or building components used in the project shall have earned the U.S. EPA's Energy Star label:  clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, ceiling fans, ventilation fans (including kitchen and bathroom fans), residential light fixtures (comply with Energy Star’s Advanced Lighting Package), programmable thermostats, and exit signs. The developer shall submit to the County Manager a statement listing all Energy Star-qualified components prior to issuance of the Core and Shell Certificate of Occupancy.  For the commercial lighting in common areas of multifamily residential projects, (by way of illustration and not limitation, these areas include lobbies, corridors, stairwells, common rooms, fitness rooms, etc.), the developer shall reduce the need for lighting (through daylighting where possible) and shall specify the use of energy efficient fixtures, bulbs, light sensors, motion sensors, timers, and interior design, e.g., paint color, that maximize energy efficiency in lighting.  The guidelines outlined by the US Green Building Council’s LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) credit entitled, Optimizing Energy Performance: Lighting Power shall be used toward the goal of maximizing energy efficiency in the lighting of common areas.

6.                      Standard Site Plan Language

The county’s standard site plan language covering green building and LEED issues specifically states the following (modifications may be made on a case-by-case basis):

LEED Credits and Sustainable Design Elements

a.                   The developer agrees to hire a LEED Accredited consultant as a member of the design and construction team.  The consultant shall work with the team to incorporate sustainable design elements and innovative technologies into the project so that numerous building components will earn the developer points under the U.S. Green Building Council’s system for LEED certification.  Specifically, the developer agrees to include sustainable elements in design and construction that are sufficient to meet the requirements for all LEED Prerequisites and include at least the number of LEED components necessary for baseline LEED certification. The developer agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to achieve additional LEED points which would qualify the building for certified levels.

b.                  The developer further agrees to submit, to the Department of Environmental Services (DES) and to the Zoning Office, a report prepared by the LEED consultant and documentation upon request to substantiate the report.  Such reports will be submitted prior to issuance of the following permits or certificates of occupancy for construction of the project and will summarize the efforts to date of the inclusion of the sustainable elements within the project:

1.      Clearing, Grading & Demolition Permit

2.      Excavation, Sheeting and Shoring Permit

3.      Footing to Grade Permit

4.      Final Building Permit

5.      Shell and Core Certificate of Occupancy

6.      Partial Certificate of Occupancy for occupancy of the last floor of space

7.      Master Certificate of Occupancy

In addition, prior to issuance of the first Certificate of Occupancy after the Shell and Core Permit, the developer will have its LEED consultant submit a certification to the County Manager that the elements to earn the above specified numbers of points have been included in the buildings.

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 Green Building Fund

The County established a Green Building Fund and a policy of having site plan developers who do not commit to achieving a LEED™ rating from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) contribute to the Fund. The contribution is calculated at a rate of $0.045 per square foot. (This contribution calculation is based on the fees assessed by the USGBC for registration and evaluation of a formal LEED™ application.) The Green Building Fund is used to provide education and outreach to developers and the community on green building issues. If a project receives LEED™ certification from the USGBC, the Fund contribution is refunded upon receipt of the final LEED™ certification.

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 Green Building Incentive Program

Originally adopted in October 1999, the incentive program was revised and enhanced in December 2003 and again in March 2009. The program allows a private developer to apply for additional density if the project achieves a LEED™ award from the USGBC. The program applies to all types of building projects (office, high rise residential, etc.) achieving any one of the four LEED™ awards. The Bonus Density Program for Site Plans allows the developer to apply for densities as follows:

Find out more about the Green Building Incentive Program or contact the Arlington County Environmental Planning Office (703-228-4488) or the Arlington County Planning Division (703-228-3525).

Green Building Resources

Read a brochure about Arlington County's Green Building (1 MB, PDF format) program, or check out our Resources page for more information on Green Buildings.

Review LEED documentation requirements for Site Plan projects throughout the permit process (1MB PDF Format)