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Policy Solution

Green building and energy efficiency standards

Mandate

Case Studies

Summary

Green building practices and energy efficiency standards improve building performance that reduce solar gains, energy consumption, and urban heat islands.

Implementation

Adopt green building or energy efficiency performance standards for any public and private new construction or substantial renovations.

Considerations for Use

Resources associated with ratings and certifications can provide upgrade recommendations that are applicable to all buildings not only participating buildings.

Overview

  • Climate:

    Cold, Hot/Dry, Hot/Humid, Temperate

  • Policy Levers:

    MandateMandates are government regulations that require stakeholders to meet standards through building codes, ordinances, zoning policies, or other regulatory tools.

  • Trigger Points:

    Introducing new or updated zoning/codesIncludes codes, zoning requirements or by-laws pertaining to urban planning and building construction activity.

  • Intervention Types:

    Buildings and Built Form

  • Sectors:

    Buildings

Case Studies

Impact

  • Target Beneficiaries:

    Property owners, Residents

  • Phase of Impact:

    Risk reduction and mitigation

  • Metrics:

    Number and scores or levels of certification for buildings that receive ratings

Implementation

  • Intervention Scale:

    City, Nation, Region, State/Province

  • Authority and Governance:

    City government, National government, State/provincial government

  • Implementation Timeline:

    Medium-term (3-9 Years)

  • Implementation Stakeholders:

    City government, Private developers

  • Funding Sources:

    Private investment, Public investment

  • Capacity to Act:

    High

Benefits

  • Cost-Benefit:

    Low

  • Public Good:

    N/A

  • GHG Reduction:

    High

  • Co-benefits (Climate/Environmental):

    Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

  • Co-benefits (Social/Economic):

    Increase property values, Save on utilities