Westchester Action Plan, 2008 - Westchester County Government

New Buildings and Infrastructure and Major Renovations
To achieve meaningful GHG reductions, new buildings, infrastructure and major
renovations should be constructed to be energy efficient. New construction also presents
an opportunity to incorporate the use of renewable energy and other green building
concepts.
Evaluate all new projects or major renovations for green building opportunities. This
first step should be incorporated into the early planning and design process for all sectors
to minimize cost and maximize green opportunities. These standards can provide guidance
and direction:
• The LEED Green Building Rating System TM ix for all building types including homes
• ENERGY STAR x for buildings xi , appliances and equipment
• New York State Education Department (SED) for high performance schools guidelines.
The SED can be contacted to otain the guidelines.
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System,
established by the U.S. Green Building Council, is the nationally accepted benchmark for the
design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. One important
component of LEED is energy efficiency. In addition, it addresses other sustainable green
building and development practices. LEED rating system exists for every building type and phase
of a building lifecycle. Buildings built to meet this rating system can become certified to LEED.
Certification demonstrates that a building is environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy
place to live and work. LEED has several levels of certification – certified, silver, gold, and
platinum – which recognize increasing levels of green building performance.
Energy Star provides an energy efficiency rating system applicable to commercial buildings that
compares facilities to their Peers. Building types include Banks/Financial Institutions,
Courthouses, Hospitals, Hotels and Motels, K-12 Schools, Medical Offices, Offices, Residence
Halls/Dormitories, Retail Stores, Supermarkets, Warehouses and Wastewater Treatment Plants.
Use a knowledgeable professional to assist in the planning process. Then use
developers and builders who are experienced in green building and development. The
LEED Member Directory xii provides a source for these individuals and organizations. In
some cases, green developers build and market projects that are green. Organizations that
are leasing can also seek out buildings that are high performance.
Attachment 5: Energy
Westchester Action Plan, 2008 5-6