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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-11-2008-2ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 11, 2008 Action Agenda Item No. SUBJECT: Smart Growth /Green Building Report, Pervious Pavement, and OWASA's Water Conservation Initiative DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENTS: 1. Smart Growth, Green Building Report, "Orange Turning Green" 2. Draft OWASA Recommendations Regarding Water Conservation Priorities and Initiatives 3. N.C. Building Code vs. Green Building Water Conservation Measures INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Benedict, 245-2592 Glenn Bowles, 245-2577 Don Knight, 245-2606 James Baxter 245-2615 Terry Hackett 245-2588 Susan Mellott 245-2593 PURPOSE: To receive reports on Smart Growth /Green Building, Pervious Pavement, and OWASA's Water Conservation Initiative. BACKGROUND: Below are proposals for regulatory and educational opportunities related to Smart Growth, Green Building guidelines and water conservation programs: A. Planning and Inspections Department Smart Growth /Green Building Standards Report, B. Pervious pavement summary, C. OWASA water conservation priorities and initiatives: A. Smart Growth /Green Building Standards (Attachment #1) The BOCC adopted two objectives under its Environmental Responsibility Goal on December 5, 2005. The first objective is to develop a countywide ,environmental leadership policy and institute a standing Environmental Action Committee. The Environmental Action Committee has been meeting since May 2006. The second objective is to continue, expand, and formally adopt the use of green building standards; and to construct new facilities and deconstruct outdated facilities in a way that is eco-friendly, utilizes energy conserving measures, and minimizes impacts on the environment. At the January 19, 2007 BOCC Retreat, the Board accented its interest in these topics. On April 12, 2007, the BOCC adopted five.priorities to enhance the implementation of the green building standards objective of its Environmental Responsibility Goal. In response to the five priorities, staff suggested the following objectives: 1. Research and make suggestions for green building standards through the Comprehensive Plan process and Planning and Inspections Department regulations for both public and private sector development by the end of 2007. 2. Participate in education and certification of LEED guidelines through training of Building and Planning employees in order to provide in-house education of the general public and private sector builders. 2008 3. Adopt `smart growth' principles of land development and site planning including `low impact design' guidelines in appropriate sectors of County policy by the end of 2008. 4. Adopt `smart growth' principles of land development and site planning including `low impact design' guidelines in planning and erosion control regulations by the end of 2008. 5. Implement green building standards through the Planning and Inspections Department, Building Division regulations for both public and private sectors development beginning in 2009. A task force of private homebuilders, local private utilities, designers, members of the County energy conservation team, and representatives from the Town of Hillsborough, County Planning and Inspections staff met numerous times in the Fall of 2007 to address green building concepts the result of this effort was the development of recommendations for this Smart" Growth /Green Building Report. Issue: There are at least seventy-seven (77) different "green building" programs available nationally. Two (2) have appeared to have risen to the top in their application in Orange County, the USGBC LEED standards for Homes and New Development, and the US Home Builders Association National Green Building Standards. Both programs address the same energy and ecologically based topics, recycling, non-potable water sources for irrigation, pervious pavement, site selection and disturbance, but each in their own way. Third-party certification is common to both. A combination of both will enhance Orange County's Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations. PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS: The Task Force concluded that `Green Building' standards should be a phased implementation program to include all building construction, demolition and remodeling in Orange County. Phase I: Education -Fall 2008 a) Provide funding through the budgetary process and grant proposals fora `Green Building' educational outreach program, with staff training and certification in an . established `Green Building' program such as LEED or Green Globe. b) Implement an educational outreach program on `Green Building' techniques and incentives for designers, architects, engineers, developers, building contractors and homeowner builders interested in obtaining permits for construction or demolition in Orange County through partnership between County Inspections Division staff trained in `Green Building' certification and the local Home Builder's Association. Phase II: Public funded mandates /Private funded voluntary -July 2009 a) Require mandatory compliance and certification with an established Green Building program for all publicly funded structures in Orange County. b) Adopt zoning ordinance regulations to limit site disturbance, limit non-native landscaping, limit irrigation types, and require pervious parking surfacing and shading for publicly and privately funded commercial structures and multi-family residential properties. 3 c) Utilize subdivision regulations to limit site disturbance, direct structure orientation on lot, determine native landscaping options, limit irrigation types, require construction debris recycling and compliance with the Upper Neuse Site Evaluation Tool. d) Institute incentive based voluntary compliance program with EPA `Energy Star' and `Green Building' techniques for all residential construction both one and two family dwellings, and multi-family (apartments, condominiums). Phase III: Assessment and Possible Private Sector Mandate - Fa112010 a) Require mandatory compliance with EPA `Energy Star' for all residential buildings, publicly or privately funded. b) Evaluate both mandatory (EPA Energy Star) and voluntary (LEED, Green Globes, NCHBA) programs at the end of 2010 .and report on progress to date, with recommendations for increase of voluntary compliance incentives or possible mandatory requirements for one-and two-family and multi-family residential dwellings. B. Pervious Pavement On February 13, 2008, representatives from the Planning Department (2), Erosion Control (2), Inspections (1), Purchasing (1), and the County Manager's Office (1) met with a private resident to listen to a teleconference on practical applications of pervious pavement. Attached is a copy of the PowerPoint presentation from the February 13th session. While pervious pavement can take many forms, the example presented was. a "no-fines" concrete. The material, when poured in place, resembles a Rice Krispies treat. The material has 15 to 25% void space with a porosity ranging from 150 to 400 inches per hour. The pervious pavement can be used in residential situations for driveways, sidewalks, and patios, and in commercial, industrial, and institutional applications as sidewalks, trails, sports courts in combination with plastic grids, parking surfaces, drive aisles, and roadways. For parking lot drive aisles and roadways, pervious pavement requires additional material strength. Increasing material strength reduces porosity. With a granular sub-base and a stormwater collection system, pervious concrete paving can provide innovative approaches to low-impact designs for residential and commercial development. The application can be cost effective and may result in more ecologically sensitive development. Issue: The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) does not recognize typical pervious concrete pavement as a viable method to treat stormwater quantity and quality in the Piedmont region. The fine particles that make up the majority of Piedmont soils do not allow the stormwater that passes through pervious pavement to readily infiltrate into the ground. Additionally, fine particle .sediment can clog permeable pavement if not maintained correctly. Therefore, porous pavement may still be considered impervious by NCDENR because of the nature of the tight clay soils found throughout Orange County. However, even with clay soils, pervious pavement can have benefits if engineered with a collection system below the pavement. Using pervious pavement in this manner may reduce the size or amount of stormwater management facilities required and can filter out many solid materials and pollutants. suspended in stormwater runoff typically found in the "first flush" of any stormwater event. Oils and greases, heavy metals, sediments, fertilizers, and air-borne 4 deposits typically pollute stormwater. With pervious pavement, the rainwater is spread more evenly over the entire parking lot and stormwater percolates through interconnected voids, rather than concentrating runoff into a pond. The presenter claims a 90% suspended solid removal from pervious concrete. The pervious concrete surface has good skid resistance and is easy to maintain. The surface is lighter in color and reflects sunlight better than a typical asphalt surface. This factor addresses the "heat island" effect of large asphalt parking lots. Pervious concrete paving can meet the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards because it can reduce stormwater runoff, it is composed of recycled materials, it can use regional materials, and it addresses urban heat island effects. Pervious concrete is five to ten percent more expensive per cubic feet than conventional paving; however, installation costs less because smaller crews are needed and the equipment is less costly. Further, site costs can be less because stormwater treatment facilities can be smaller. Tight Orange County clay soils do not allow credit for pervious paving. The watershed impervious cover standards do not need to change. However, pervious paving could be a key feature of green building standards suggested in an earlier staff report "Orange Turning Green." stormwater flowing from residential driveways and sidewalks could be collected and used for lawn and landscaping irrigation and precluding the need to use potable water sources for irrigation. Further, pervious paving can be an essential element in low-impact design, which is a more specific application of LEED New Development and Home Builders' Green Building Standards development standards. C. Water Conservation (Attachments #2 and 3) County staff, along with representatives from the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill, have been working with OWASA staff to make suggestions for water conservation priorities and initiatives. The draft of that report is attached to this abstract. The final adopted revision may not be available for this BOCC work session. However, the difference in the two documents is some clarifying detail in the recommendations, and not the recommendations themselves. Obviously, most of the emphasis of the report focuses on public water supplies and not wells. Orange County is only affected as a water customer. However, the need to develop incentives and/or requirements for water saving fixtures and devices, retro-fitting governmental and school district facilities, sustainable landscaping, retro-fitting private residences at the point of sale, and prohibiting homeowners associations from not allowing innovative water conservation measures for private residences are all worth discussing at the County level. Phase I of the Green Building Standards will accomplish the first Near-Term OWASA recommendation. The second and third recommendations essentially reflect current BOCC policy. The first Longer-Term recommendation has no direct application to Orange County. The last two recommendations could to made part of Phase III, because the local government may not have sufficient legal authority to enforce them and state enabling legislation may be required. FINANCIAL IMPACT: LEED certification and other green building training would be approximately $2,000 per staff member. Staff recommends two Inspections staff members and one Planning staff member be trained in LEED certification. Initiation of the Smart Growth / Green Building Report will result in savings to County daily operations and to private residents from energy savings, both in actual dollars and in reduced environmental costs. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the reports and direct staff regarding proposals for regulatory and educational opportunities related to Smart Growth and Green Building guidelines, pervious pavement, and the OWASA water conservation priorities and initiatives. Attachment 1 1 O Smart Growth /Green Building Report -~ ~ `_`'L~ ~ ,~~ J _ _ .~ ,; .~ _ _ J , ,.TJ ~._. ,~, Submitted by: Orange County Planning and Inspections Department November 21, 2007 2 Table of Contents A. Background 3 B. Mission 3 C. Research 1) Smart Growth Principles 4 2) Green Building Standards 5 3) Inventory of existing `green' policies and standards 5 4) Green building programs 6 D. focal Application 1) Building Code 8 2) Site Aspects 8 E. Recommendations Process 1) Task Force 10 2) Recommendations a) Phase I -III 11 b) Incentives 12 c) Educational recommendations 12 Smart Growth /Green Building Report Orange Turning Green A. Background The BOCC first adopted two objectives under its Environmental Responsibility Goal on December 5, 2005. The first objective was to develop a countywide environmental leadership policy and institute a standing Environmental Action Committee. The second was to continue, expand, and formally adopt the use of green building standards; construct new facilities and deconstruct outdated facilities in a way that is eco-friendly, utilizes energy conserving measures, and minimizes impacts, on the environment. On April 12, 2007 the BOCC adopted five priorities to enhance the implementation of the second objective of its Environmental Responsibility Goal. The five priorities are: 1. Research and provide suggestions for green building standards through the Comprehensive Plan process and the Planning and Inspections Department regulations for both public and private sector development by the end of 2007. 2. Implementation of green building standards through the Planning and Inspections Department, Building Division regulations for both public and private section development by the end of 2008. 3. Participate in education opportunities related to LEED guidelines through training of building and planning employees and eventually education of the general public and private sector builders. 4. Adopt `smart growth' principles of land development and site planning including `low impact design' guidelines in appropriate sectors of County policy by the end of 2007. 5. Adopt `smart growth' principles of land development and site planning including `low impact design' guidelines in planning and erosion control regulations by the end of 2008. B. Mission Statement This report responds to BOCC priorities adopted on April 12, 2007 to initiate implementation of its 2005 environmental and energy conservation goals. The BOCC Environment Responsibility Goal directs staff to, "Perform all County governmental functions, both internal and external, with a sensitivity and ethic that promotes environmental responsibility and leadership, and an understanding of the actions of government activities as they affect the natural and cultural resources of the County, region, state, nation and world." The adopted Energy Conservation Goal was restated on April 24, 2007 as Principle #3 of eight Principles that underlie the process of updating the various elements of the Comprehensive Plan. The Goal states the following, "Encouraging energy efficiency, lower energy consumption and the use of non- polluting energy resources while promoting air quality protection and an effective transportation system." 4 `--~ C. Research How do smart growth, sustainability and green building standards relate? County government has a responsibility to address both global warming and hazard mitigation to identify how local citizens are most susceptible to climate change and to best minimize local energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions levels. Conventional building construction, use, and demolition, together with the manufacturing of building materials, have multiple impacts on local, regional, and global environments. Nationally, when life cycle costs are .accounted for, buildings account for 65% of all electricity consumption, 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions, 30% of all raw material consumption, 30% of all landfill waste generated, and 12% of all potable water consumption. Typical residential cost centers and energy consumption are heating and cooling (46%), water heating (17%), electrical appliances, including computers (31 %), and lighting (6%). Focusing on local energy conservation through green building programs is a community sustainability issue because it addresses energy and water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and landfill waste. 1) Smart Growth principles can be summarized in ten categories, as follows: a. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices to provide quality housing for people of all income levels. b. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration to create great places to live, work, and play that respond to the community's sense of how and where it wants to grow. c. Create walkable communities thaf are desirable places to live, work, learn, worship, and play. d. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place and craft a vision and set standards for development and construction, which respond to community values or architectural beauty and distinctiveness. e. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective. f. Integrate mixed land use into communities as a critical component of achieving better places to live. g. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas. h. Provide a variety of transportation choices and therefore provide citizens with more choices in housing, shopping, communities, and transportation, i. Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities already served by infrastructure, seeking to utilize the resources that existing neighborhoods offer, and conserve open space and irreplaceable natural resources. Io j. Take advantage of compact building design by incorporating more compact building design as an alternative to conventional land consumptive development. 2) Green building standards acknowledge these ten Smart Growth principles and introduce energy conservation and efficiency in conjunction with community sustainability, as additional essential principles. Green building is a holistic process that addresses a broad range of issues, which include a. Community and site design, b. Energy efficiency, c. Water conservation, d. Resource efficient material selection, e. Indoor environmental quality, f. Construction management, g. Building maintenance and monitoring of building efficiency. 3) A variety of green building standards are embedded in existing County Code that implement county environmental goals and policies. These various ordinances and regulations are consistent with and derive their basis from the County Comprehensive Plan. The Plan was first adopted in 1981 and has been amended several times since then. The County, through its many advisory boards, commissions,.and task forces, is presently updating its Comprehensive Plan. The following documents compose a suite of land development regulations that presently impose a level of green building standards on private landowners and developers. • Zoning Ordinance through minimum lot sizes, set backs, stream buffers, impervious cover restrictions, outdoor lighting, and special use permit approval conditions. • Subdivision Regulations through required open space, tree. and natural area protection regulations, recycling requirement, and landscaping requirements. • Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance that prohibits new construction in flood hazard areas and requires retrofitting for all substantial improvement or substantial repair to existing buildings. • Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance to regulate erosion and sedimentation arising from public and private sector land development. • Environmental Stewardship Action Team is developing a number of environmental policies, which may include new BOCC policy initiatives, objectives and a set of action statements and metrics to guide future Orange County governmental business decisions. • The Environmental Resources Conservation Department administers the Lands Legacy program and helps produce the State of the Environment report. 6 l~ • Solid Waste Ordinance developed to regulate construction and demolition debris generated from new construction requiring separation of corrugated cardboard, clean wood, and scrap metal. • The North Carolina State Building Codes require a myriad of energy and water conservation regulations, which are currently being required in all new construction and some existing buildings that are components of the green building umbrella. 4) Several green building programs have been introduced nationally and regionally over the past several years. Most have guidelines for new and existing residential and commercial construction. Most programs are point- based systems to validate a chosen level of `green' in site selection, structure orientation, resource and materials usage, energy efficient buildings systems, compliance with the EPA's Energy Star program, indoor air quality, water consumption, and education. Most programs require third party certification by design professionals who have special knowledge and or training in a chosen green building program. Among the better-known green programs are the following: a. U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Environment and Energy Conservation (LEED) -Probably the best known green building program is a point based system where projects earn points for satisfying specific green building criteria. The number of points the project earns determines the level of LEED certification the projecfi receives. LEED certification is available in four progressive levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. A LEED certification in a chosen level requires third party verification.www.usgbc.org b. National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Model Green Home Building Guidelines were designed with the mainstream home builder in mind. The purpose of these guidelines is to highlight ways in which a home builder can effectively and holistically weave environmental concerns into a new home and provide a tool for local home builder associations to create a green building program. The Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange, and Chatham Counties has developed a point based green building program based on the national guidelines and is already being utilized by some builders in Orange County. Third party verification is required for a home to be designated Bronze, Silver or Gold. www.nahb.org/qbq c. Green Globes Design is an online building assessment tool that evaluates and rates the environmental performance of new and existing buildings, and interior fit-ups. The program is questionnaire based and consists of approximately 150 questions that take between 2 to 3 hours to answer. Because Green Globes assessment occurs in two stages, it relates to the development approval process: during preliminary t~ assessment at the Concept Design stage (which corresponds with planning approval), and during final assessment at the construction document stage (which typically corresponds with building permit approval). Once a design has been assessed, a third party review may be conducted. Once verification is complete, the project is awarded a Green Globes certificate. www.greenglobes.com d. High Performance Guidelines: Triangle Region Public Facilities -The Guidelines are both a design guide and a means to quantify how well high performance principles have been applied to a building's design, construction, and maintenance. The Guidelines are based on a point system. Different aspects of a high performance facility are defined, and specified point totals are awarded when they are achieved. The points are assigned under seven general topic headings: Quality management, site, water, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environment, and innovation. There is currently no system for formal awards for achieving levels of performance under the Guidelines. It is our understanding that these Guidelines have been used in the design process for several new County buildings. www.ncgreenbuilding.orq The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) `Energy Star' program was developed to improve energy efficiency in homes and commercial construction. The program focuses on using energy efficient appliances, better insulation techniques, and well-designed heating and cooling systems. While `Energy Star' is not astand-alone green building program, it is a component required by most green building programs (www.energystar.gov). According to studies, The Costs and Financial Benefits of Green Building, performed for the California Sustainable Building Task Force, which examined existing data surrounding the costs and financial benefits of 33 LEED certified projects in California, concluded that the average premium for all 33 studied green buildings is slightly less than 2 percent ($3 to $5 per square foot). For buildings that obtained a LEED's Certified (lowest level of LEED certification) level did so with little or no cost premium. Based on information obtained from local homebuilders that are already building green certified homes, the cost for building a home that is energy star compliant would range between $1300 and $1,500. The additional cost to achieve a basic level of green certification (e.g. Bronze level, NAHB Model Green Building Home Guide) fora 2,200 s.f. home would be approximately $6,000 to $8,000, which does include energy star certification. With a savings of 15 to 30 percent on energy bills these cost would be recovered in a relatively short period of time. 13 D. Local application Utilizing appropriate portions of these green building programs, the following aspects of site development, can be addressed through enhancements to existing County land development regulations. The following include a short narrative listing the rationale for addressing each issue. 1) Green building incorporates environmental considerations into every phase of the building process. During the design, construction, and operation of a home or building, energy and water efficiency, lot development, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality, building maintenance, and the building's overall impact on the environment are all taken into account. The benefits from using green building guidelines are lower operating cost, increased comfort, improved environmental quality, and enhanced durability, less maintenance and overall less environmental impact through system operations and product selection. 2) Site planning. To protect environmentally sensitive sites do not build structures, roads, or parking areas on portions of sites that meet any one of the following criteria: floodplains, rare or endangered species habitat, within one hundred feet of a wetland, parkland, or prime farmland. Green homes should be built in locations that are safe for inhabitants and the surrounding community, both human and ecological, and should not contribute to the degradation or loss of our agricultural and natural resource lands. Avoid building on sites that are environmentally sensitive or precious resources. Construction recycling. The reduction of waste generation level should be below the industry norm. Waste management planning, which investigates and documents local options for diversion of all anticipated major constituents of the project waste stream and document rate of diversion, record diversion rate for land clearing and/or demolition. Waste reduction diverts waste generated from new construction activities from landfills and incinerators. Because landfill space is rapidly diminishing, incineration produces pollutants, and waste of materials in itself carries negative environmental impacts, waste should be avoided to the extent possible. The National Association of Home Builders has collected data nationally and estimates that the construction of a typical 2,000 14 square foot home generates about 8,000 pounds of waste, occupying roughly 51 cubic yards of landfill space. This equates to an average of about four (4) pounds of waste per square foot of conditioned space. Landscaping and irrigation standards. Water reuse offsets central water supply through the capture and controlled reuse of rainwater and/or grey water. Rainwater harvesting systems collect and store rainwater for landscape irrigation use or indoor water use. Grey water recycling systems collect water from designated plumbing fixtures to be treated and re-used. Install high efficiency irrigation systems with the following features: central shut-off valve, sub-meters for the irrigation system, at least half of the planting beds have a drip irrigation system to minimize evaporation, turf and each type of bedding area should be separately zoned, a timer and controller system, pressure regulating devises, high efficiency nozzles, check valves in heads, and moisture sensor or rain delay controller. Parking lots. Shading of hardscapes through landscape features that will reduce local heat island effects. ~ocate.trees to shade hardscapes and the design and installation of trees and shrubs, or preservation of existing trees and shrubs, so that at least fifty (50%) percent of sidewalks, patios, and driveways within fifty (50') feet of the house will be shaded; or install light colored hardscapes with light-colored, high albedo materials for at least fifty (50%) percent of site's non-roof impervious surfaces. Outdoor lighting. The elimination of light trespass from outdoor buildings, parking lots and landscaping illumination will improve night sky access and reduce development impacts on nocturnal environments Stormwater management. Design site features to minimize erosion and run-off from the home site. Permeable sites that design lots such that at least seventy percent of the site, not including area under roof, is permeable or designed to manage water run-off. Erosion represents the loss of a valuable resource from the home site -topsoil -that can overload storm sewers, and may cause stream clouding and siltation, with potential harm to wildlife. Permeable surfaces also assist in recharging local aquifers and may reduce irrigation needs. io 15 E. Recommendation Process 1) Task force The building division brought together a diverse group of volunteers from the public and private sectors to develop recommendations for `green' building strategies for Orange County. The group consisted of local architects, builders and developers, representatives from local power providers, building inspectors, planners, and public works staff. This group held four meetings ending on November 13, 2007. • Susan Cashion, Piedmont Electric • Chuck Lee, Piedmont Electric • John Hines, Piedmont Electric • Susan Mellott, Orange County • Don Knight, Orange County • .Jeff Peloquin, Jeff Peloquin Construction • Glenn Bowles, Orange County • Michelle Myers, MSquared Builders • Michael Chandler, Chandler Design Build • Wayne Fenton, Orange County • Margaret Hauth, Town of Hillsborough • James Baxter, Orange County • Dave Brown, Corley, Redfoot, and Zack Architects • Jeff Hopper, Hopper and Byrd Construction • George Horton, Telesis Construction i 1 lt~ Recommendations The Task Force concluded that `Green Building' standards should be a phased implementation program to include all building construction, demolition and remodeling in Orange County. Phase I: Implement fa112008 a) Provide funding through the budgetary process and. grant proposals for a `Green Building' educational outreach program, with staff training and certification in an established `Green Building' program such as LEED or Green Globe. b) Implement an educational outreach program on `Green Building' techniques and incentives for designers, architects, engineers, developers, building contractors and homeowner builders interested in obtaining permits for construction or demolition in Orange County through partnership between county inspections division staff trained. in `Green Building' certification and the local Home Builder's Association. Phase II: Implement mid year 2009 a) Mandatory compliance and certification with an established Green Building program for all publicly funded structures in Orange County. b) Adopt through ordinance zoning regulations to limit site disturbance, limit non-native landscaping, limit irrigation types, and require pervious parking surfacing and shading for publicly and privately funded commercial structures and multi-family residential properties. c) .Utilize subdivision regulations to limit site disturbance, direct structure orientation on lot, determine native landscaping options, limit irrigation types, require construction debris recycling and compliance with the Upper Neuse Site Evaluation Tool.. d) Institute incentive based voluntary compliance program with EPA `Energy Star' and `Green Building' techniques for all residential construction both one and two family dwellings, and multi-family (apartments, condominiums). Phase III: Implement fall 2010 a) Require mandatory compliance with EPA `Energy Star' for all residential publicly or privately funded. b) Evaluate both mandatory (EPA Energy Star) and voluntary (LEED, Green Globes, NCHBA) programs at the end of 2010 and report on progress to date, with recommendations for increase of voluntary compliance incentives or possible mandatory requirements for one and two family and multi-family residential dwellings 12 (~ Some examples of the incentives (phase II, item d) recommended by the task force are as follows: 1. Fast track permit processing and partial fee waivers or rebates for compliant green building projects and/or alternative power systems (solar, wind). 2. Recognition of private builders and developers who voluntarily opt to build green. a. Such recognition could include a listing of green buildings at Inspections Department (e.g. `Green Building Wall of Fame' in Inspections Department) and/or, b. Recognition as Green Builders on the Orange County Inspections Website. c. `Orange Turning Green' sign located on building site. 3. Orange County hosting or sponsoring an annual `Orange County Green Building tour'. 4. Institute a system of property tax credits during the voluntary incentives program termed Phase II. We believe this would encourage new homebuilders to build homes that are compliant with one of the nationally recognized `Green programs". Educational items recommended in Phase I could include: 1. Provide `building green' educational opportunities for staff. 2. Provide funding for `building green' education programs through the budgetary process and or through grants to fund education and marketing programs for `Orange Turning Green' initiative. 3. Green education program implemented in 2008 and provided through Planning and Inspections utilizing trained staff and local professionals with expertise in `green' building guidelines. 4. Orange County would sponsor green educational program in 2008 to target builders, developers, remodelers, architects, engineers, residential designers, real estate professionals and the public. This education component would be funded through grants and/or provided by trained staff. Attachment 2 Ig __ 1 RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE POLICY BOARDS AND MANAGEMENT OF CARRBORO, CHAPEL HILL, ORANGE COUNTY, AND OWASA REGARDING WATER CONSERVATION PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES Prepared and submitted by the Planning and Resource Management staffs of the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill, Orange County, and OWASA January 28, 2008 Purpose and Background This summary report represents the consensus of an interlocal staff work group that was convened by OWASA in August 2006 to consider potential water conservation strategies. Following the receipt of information from OWASA in February 2006 about projected water supply and demand trends and the increasing importance of conservation in meeting long-term water needs, the elected boards of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Orange County .asked that OWASA staff work with their respective staffs in developing information and recommending specific actions that would enable the Towns, County, and OWASA to promote greater conservation of the community's water resources. This summary is drawn from a more comprehensive document prepared by OWASA staff and reviewed by the joint staff work group (Collaborative Water Conservation Strategies for Joint Consideration by Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Orange County -Draft, January 2008). That report provides substantial detail about a range of opportunities in addition to those specifically recommended in this summary report by the joint staff work group. Over=Arching Comments Water conservation and demand management are critical components .of OWASA's long-term strategy for ensuring a sustainable water supply for the citizens and businesses of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and the UNC community. OWASA has achieved significant progress over the past several years through its seasonal and tiered rates, process water recycling at the water treatment plant, and the reclaimed water partnership with the University. The Towns and County enacted uniform conservation ordinances that are among the most proactive and innovative in North Carolina. UNC has implemented extensive conservation measures throughout all sectors of its Chapel Hill campus and has agreed to pay more than $10 million for OWASA's reclaimed water system that will initially serve the main campus. The recommendations of the joint staff work group are intended to complement and reinforce the very significant accomplishments already achieved in our community. The work group strongly supports and encourages OWASA to continue its efforts to promote increased water efficiency through effective public education and targeted technical assistance to customers, aggressive conservation pricing, and utility management practices, such as the use of reclaimed water for non-potable needs. OWASA is encouraged to consider additional measures, including but not limited to financial incentives, such as reductions in water and sewer availability fees for water efficient buildings, rebates, credits, and low-interest loans, to further promote conservation by current and future customers. The work group also recommends that the OWASA Board of Directors and the elected boards of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Orange County consider additional strategies to complement OWASA's ongoing efforts. The Towns, County, and OWASA should adopt new water !q 2 conservation policies and requirements that are consistent throughout the OWASA service area in order to assure their effective and equitable application among all OWASA customers, businesses, and developers in the community. One key approach endorsed by the staff work group is for OWASA to develop and adopt water use efficiency standards and requirements for new development and redevelopment projects as "conditions of OWASA service." The Towns and County would then reference OWASA's standards and requirements as conditions of their respective development approval processes. By implementing the more. publicly visible strategies recommended in this report, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Orange County, and OWASA can "lead by example" in promoting the conservation behaviors and actions that we collectively want our residents, businesses and institutions to follow. The staff work group recommends that OWASA more fully formalize its plans for achieving its Goal and Objectives for OWASA's Long-Term Water Conservation and Demand Management Program adopted in April 2005. The scope and cost of implementing. those plans will be determined in part by the Towns' and County's decisions about which strategies that they themselves will pursue. The staff work group recommends atwo-phased implementation approach for the following strategies. Upon direction and guidance from the OWASA Board of Directors and the local elected boards, staff will develop a proposed implementation plan, including a timetable, projected funding and staffing requirements, and the proposed- roles and responsibilities of each respective entity. Recommended Near-Term Actions 7. OWASA should develop specific standards and enact requirements for all new development and redevelopment to provide water use efficiency plans and to install state-of--the-art water saving fixtures and devices. Compliance with these standards would be required as a condition of receiving OWASA water and/or sewer service. Such standards could include requirements for use of "high efficiency." toilets, faucets, showerheads, and other. fixtures certified under the US Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program, and water-using appliances, such as clothes washers and dishwashers that meet the US Department of Energy's Energy Star requirements. 2. Conduct water use audits and cost-effective water conservation retrofit projects at local government-owned and managed properties. Examples include: (a) collaboration by OWASA and the Chapel Hill Public Housing Authority to install high efficiency toilets in approximately 135 public housing units that currently have older less efficient toilets; and (b) evaluation of existing irrigation systems and operating practices in order to minimize the use of OWASA supplied potable water use on public properties. 3. Continue fo incorporate and formalize our collective local commitments to state-of- the-art water use efficiency in the design of new public properties and, where practical and cost-effective, in renovated local government properties. Examples include Orange County's "Orange Turning Green" initiative for smart growth and green building design, Carrboro's Century Center, Chapel Hill's recently completed Town Operations Center, and OWASA's Operations Center. ao 3 4. Develop sustainable landscape guidelines and requirements to ensure that landscape and irrigation system design, installation and maintenance are more water efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional practices. Such measures could include limits on the amount of turf that can be established on a given site and irrigated with OWASA-supplied potable water, as well as requirements for the placement and design of the irrigation systems. Requirements such as these would be most appropriately addressed through the Towns'. and County's own development rules and requirements, rather than through new OWASA standards of service. Xeriscaping, the use of harvested rainwater and reclaimed water would be encouraged as alternatives to potable OWASA water. Recommended longer-Term Actions 1. Enact requirements for new development projects to connecf to OWASA's reclaimed water system when such service is available. Requirements could mandate that existing irrigation systems served with OWASA potable water must be connected to the reclaimed water system when and where available. This could be accomplished similar to the way in which the Towns now require, as a condition of approval, that new development be served by the OWASA water and sewer system. A requirement that potable water-based irrigation systems be converted to reclaimed water service could be one of OWASA's proposed new conditions of service. 2. Subject to the determination that sufficient legal authority exists, enact aretrofit- on-sale policy/requirement that property owners retrofit existing buildings with ultra-low flush toilets, low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators, and other water- saving fixtures prior to the sale, transfer of ownership, or change of use of a building. 3. Subject to the determination that sufficient legal. authority exists, enact a policy/provision that prohibits any restrictions via deed, covenant, Homeowners Association rules, etc., that would limit a properly owner's ability to implement sustainable landscaping, rainwater harvesting, or other water conservation practices otherwise permitted bylaw. a~ Attachment #3 Code Required Water Conservation Measures For New Construction • Lavatories (private) - 2.2 gpm • Lavatories (public) - .5 gpm • Lavatories (public, metered) - .25gallon per metering cycle Metered fixtures required for assembly occupancies, school occupancies in student use restrooms, in all occupancies with 6 or more lavatories • Shower head - 2.5 gpm • Sink faucet - 2.2 gpm • Urinal - 1.0 gal. per flushing cycle • Water closet - 1.6 gallons per flush Optional Water Conservation Measures • Install on-demand taniciess water heaters • Provide circulation pump for hot water piping from conventional water heater to keep warm water in piping system • Insulate hot water piping to reduce heat loss • Install conventional water heaters as close as possible to bathrooms and kitchen • Use "Energy Star" water conserving appliances, e.g., dishwasher, washing machine • Use shut-off valve, motion sensor, or pedal activated faucet to enable intermittent on/off operation • Use ultra low flow water closets (< 1.6 gals. per flush), e.g., power assisted and dual flush • Use low volume, non spray irrigation systems such as drip, bubblers, drip emitters, soaker hose, and stream rotator spray heads • ,Zone irrigations systems separately for turf and bedding areas • Use weather based irrigation controllers or rain sensors • Provide rainwater harvesting systems for irrigation • Provide greywater recycling systems as permitted by code for flushing fixtures • Use waterless urinals as permitted by code. • Design landscaping using drought resistant shrubs and plants to minimize the need for irrigation.