Green building rules advance
L.A. County supervisors Tuesday indicated they intend to impose extensive “green” building rules on new development, a move intended to combat global warming and pollution.
Supervisors considered three ordinances requiring builders to reduce energy consumption by 15% beyond new state guidelines and add drainage and drought-resistant landscaping to eliminate runoff on commercial and residential development.
After passing two motions to amend the ordinances to include more public outreach and clarify green building standards, all five supervisors voted to prepare the ordinances for final consideration on or before Nov. 18.
The new rules are expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2,138 tons and save 14 million gallons of water in the first year and divert 66,000 tons of trash from local landfills during the next decade, according to a May report by Santa Monica-based nonprofit Global Green USA.
The L.A. City Council passed an ordinance earlier this year requiring new commercial buildings and high-rise residential buildings with more than 50,000 square feet of floor space to meet a nationally recognized green building standard.
-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske
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