The Phoenix City Council approved construction guidelines developed by the United States Green Building Council that incorporate energy efficiency, siting, construction, waste management, materials selection, water conservation and indoor air quality into building design.
The guidelines will provide new building standards in constructing facilities approved in the March 2006 bond election. Already, under a pilot program, several city facilities now under construction incorporate green building guidelines, including Cesar Chavez Branch Library, Civic Plaza Convention Center Expansion and the Glenrosa Service Center.
Although the new standards result in higher initial-construction costs, estimated at 2-3 percent, the city recovers these costs over time from reduced operations and maintenance costs. Some green building components, such as energy efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, result in immediate reductions in operating costs.
The benefits of a green building also include improved health and comfort of the occupants and a reduced impact on air, water, landfill and non-renewable energy resources.
