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Planners approve 'green' building standards
Some developers may soon be expected to build more environmentally friendly projects in Fairfax County, despite their concerns about what that would cost.
County planning commissioners reviewed a proposed amendment to the county's comprehensive plan on Nov. 15 requiring buildings in specific areas of the county and apartment buildings more than four stories high to meet "green" standards.
Their recommendation – which included a motion encouraging the county to consider providing incentives for building green – will go to the county's Board of Supervisors for final approval next month.
“An incentive program that will be attractive to the development community is an extremely important part of the green building program,” Peter Murphy, chairman of the Planning Commission, said.
Jim Hart, an at-large planning commissioner, called the vote “not the last word, but the starting point in a broad process” towards making the county green.
Environmental standards have steadily risen in Fairfax County as officials have implemented ways to preserve parkland, reduce emissions, and improve air and water quality.
The amendment is being pursued “in furtherance of the Board of Supervisor's request to encourage green buildings,” Nolan Kaplan, a county environmental planner, said at a Nov. 8 planning commission meeting.
If approved, the amendment would bolster the county's environmental initiatives by encouraging tree preservation and planting and home-building that meet the qualifications of Energy Star, a federal program targeting energy efficiency.
Apartment buildings higher than four stories and buildings in the Tysons Corner urban center, suburban centers, community business centers, and transit station areas would need to be certified through the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program or a similar program, according to county staff.
Several developers testified about the costs of building green during a public hearing on the amendment.
Donald Gibson, senior design manager of JPI, said, “Landowners and builders will spend the money, but will not reap the energy savings from that.”
He said it is costing his development company an additional $2.3 million to attain the LEED Silver certification on an apartment development in the Hunter Mill District. Considering the grim housing market, company officials are not “optimistic they can recuperate the costs,” Gibson said.
Gibson suggested that the county offer a rebate on water and sewer fees and on building permits to developers who attain green standards.
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