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Nov
07

Sustainable communities

Explore green building resources and guidance to help local governments create sustainable communities.

Building sustainable communities

A sustainable community strives to balance equity among people, the economy, and the environment. It uses resources to meet current needs while ensuring benefits for future generations. The community prioritizes human health, eliminating waste, preventing pollution, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, maximizing conservation, and promoting prosperity in the local economy.

Sustainable communities begin with education

Building a sustainable community begins with education. Governments and schools can help provide our public, building industry and homeowners about green building through class curriculum, training, workshops, and through building green buildings people can physically and emotionally experience.

  • King County Green Schools Program
    Helping school staff, district staff, and students understand sustainability
  • EarthGen
    Providing programs for young people to gain the experience needed to become leaders for climate solutions and environmental justice

Green building incentive programs

To qualify for the following incentive programs, you must demonstrate during the permitting process that your building or development will either achieve a certain tier of green building certification or comply with the program’s specific green building requirements.

  • City of Kirkland
    High Performing Green Building Program – The City of Kirkland offers expedited permit review.
  • City of Shoreline
    Deep Green Incentive Program (DGIP) – Based on the project scope and certification level, the City of Shoreline offers incentives such as expedited permit review, waived or reduced building permit review fees, density bonuses, and parking reductions.
  • City of Issaquah
    Sustainable Building Incentives – The City of Issaquah offers expedited building permit review. Affordable housing projects may also have reduced mitigation, impact, and public works fees. They also offer stormwater service charge discounts for projects where developed parcels infiltrate runoff in a private site stormwater infiltration facility.
  • City of Bellevue
    Green Building Incentives – The City of Bellevue offers incentives in the Downtown and BelRed zones, including reduced parking minimums and floor area ratio bonuses for eligible projects. Building projects that show a reduced environmental impact may also qualify for reductions in stormwater and transportation impact fees.
  • City of Seattle
    Green Building Permit Incentives – The City of Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections offers a suite of incentives that vary based on project type and building performance. Incentives include expedited permitting, increased floor area and building height, or Design Review departures.
  • Policy and Incentive Tool
    Shift Zero created a Zero Carbon Buildings Policy Toolkit and free Policy Design Tool. These tools guide local governments through a step-by-step process to determine policies and incentives tailored to their jurisdiction.
  • Green Building Incentive Strategies
  • U.S. Green Building Council
    The U.S. Green Building Council provides ideas on how green building certifications can be used in conjunction with permitting and other incentives.

Codes, standards, & tools

Go beyond Washington State’s Building and Energy Codes and other base code requirements. Explore these resources for advanced green building methods, including:

  • enhanced energy efficiency
  • incorporating recycled and non-toxic materials
  • using heat-reflective paving and roof surfaces
  • increasing water conservation
  • opting for deconstruction instead of demolition

Jurisdictions can also benefit from resources such as locally adoptable codes, which can be used alongside incentives or for educational purposes.

  • International Green Construction Code (IGCC)
    The IGCC is a model code designed to promote safe and sustainable construction. It surpasses many local codes in areas like indoor air quality, potable water and material conservation, and heat island mitigation. Unlike other standards, the IGCC is compatible with the international codes currently enforced in Washington, making it easy to adopt, use and enforce.
  • California Green Buildings Standard (CALGreen)
    CALGreen is a standard code for California. It includes a suite of mandatory and voluntary green building measures required for all residential construction.
  • Green Building Reach Code – San Mateo, California
    The City of San Mateo has identified sustainability as a key issue for both current and future development. To meet their sustainability goals, they adopted the green building reach codes.
  • National Green Building Standard® (NGBS)
    NGBS is a residential building standard that provides 4 levels of certification: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald. These certifications apply to new single-family and multifamily buildings, as well as remodels. Projects earn certification by demonstrating high-performance in six key areas:
    • Lot Design and Development
    • Resource Efficiency,
    • Water Efficiency
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Indoor Environmental Quality
    • Building Operation & Maintenance

    Additionally, the program offers a NGBS Green Land Development Certification for residential and mixed-use communities. You can download the standard for free from the National Association of Home Builders.

  • EPA Land-Use Code Guidance
    Land-use codes help city governments guide development to achieve performance goals for the built environment.
  • Sustainable Design and Green Building Toolkit for Local Governments
    The EPA developed this toolkit to assist local governments with identifying and eliminate barriers to sustainable design and green building in their permitting process.
  • Building Codes Assistance Project (for State and Local Code Agencies)
    The Building Codes Assistance Project provides direct assistance to state, county and city policy makers and advocates. They offer tools to support the adoption of stronger codes that reduce energy use and improve indoor air quality.
  • WSU Energy Program
    The Washington State University (WSU) Energy Program provides programs and tools for code officials, industry professionals, and others. Their aim is to improve the efficiency of buildings across Washington.
  • EcoCity Cleveland Code Reform
    The Cleveland EcoVillage project aims to demonstrate advanced techniques of green building. This includes energy efficiency, passive solar design, nontoxic building materials, considerations of life-cycle costs, and alternative forms of wastewater treatment. Additionally, the project is helping the city of Cleveland make green building techniques part of their building code.

Materials & solid waste management

Explore ways to reduce the environmental impacts of materials procurement, use, and disposal. Cities can save money by reducing waste and finding innovative uses for recycled and salvaged resources. Examples of reducing material waste, includes:

  • enabling responsible procurement practices
  • increasing recycling and salvage-materials use
  • leading by example through programs and operations.

Explore municipal materials and solid waste management resources:

Commercial green building

Commercial and mixed-use buildings can achieve efficiencies of scale through green building strategies. This saves owners and operators money and reduces burdens on public infrastructure. Today's average high-performance building is more efficient than conventional construction, reducing energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and waste.

Protecting habitat, biodiversity, and watersheds

Green infrastructure

Healthy cities prioritize the protection and restoration of habitats. Green infrastructure encompasses a range of integrated strategies aimed at achieving municipal environmental goals. Each strategy offers multiple, cost-effective benefits. For instance, parks and landscaping can boost property values, provide recreational spaces, and manage stormwater responsibly.

Green infrastructure is an optimal practice for stormwater management, reducing the costs associated with building and maintaining stormwater pipes and treatment facilities. Through deliberate and strategic planning, cities can reap numerous benefits from green infrastructure, including:

  • Increased property tax revenue
  • Reduced strain on public infrastructure
  • Local economic development from the influx of residents and businesses
  • Enhanced access to funding sources
  • Improved public health

Effective green infrastructure requires proactive policies and coordinated planning, often through public-private partnerships. Cities should collaborate with communities and consider neighborhood-level approaches to development. This helps ensures development protects sensitive ecosystems.

Explore these resources to learn more about green infrastructure:

Integrated water systems

Integrated water systems is an approach to the built environment that centers a community commitment to watershed protection

Municipal water systems are organized around three major water uses:

  • drinking water
  • wastewater
  • storm water systems

All three share infrastructure based on watershed geography. Best practices for city water systems includes using watershed management as a foundation for utilities planning. It also includes requiring low-impact development (LID) strategies for site development and redevelopment. Examples of green building practices for watershed management include:

  • treatment of water polluted by the built environment
  • minimizing potable water consumption for non-potable uses
  • harvesting rainwater
  • water reclamation
  • decentralized water management strategies to decrease energy intensity of water infrastructure.
  • cross-jurisdictional collaboration to address complete watershed management

Explore these resources to learn more about green infrastructure:

Energy infrastructure

Clean, renewable energy sources make cities healthier, self-reliant, and boost local economies. Energy conservation is the easiest way to save money and protect the environment.

To reduce your city’s carbon footprint and build energy independence, focus on both energy sources and consumers. Cities should consider 4 factors for energy systems:

  • potential sources (including decentralized and renewable strategies)
  • environmental impacts
  • affordability
  • reliability of centralized vs. decentralized sources

Local governments can lead by reducing energy use in government buildings and public utilities. Cities can also shape energy demand through policies and programs and promote renewable energy systems with incentives.

Explore these resources to learn more about energy infrastructure:

Sustainability for economic development, green transportation, and human health

Economic growth, social equity and environmental stewardship are interconnected. Through green policies and programs cities can safeguard valuable resources while boosting local economies and enhancing public health in a sustainable community.

Economic development

Sustainability practices give businesses a competitive edge, benefiting both the environment and the local economy. Healthy, balanced communities attract investment and new residents. Cities can prioritize green businesses and development of local jobs through programs and policies. They should also ensure the planning and development of the built environment centers balance and diversity.

Explore these resources to learn more about green economic development:

Transportation networks

Cities that offer diverse transportation options promote physical activity and reduce individual car trips. Diverse, Integrated transportation networks include:

  • pedestrian walkways
  • streets and roadways
  • public transit (buses and trains)
  • bicycle and non-motorized vehicles infrastructure

Cities can save money and stimulate investment by focusing on green transportation strategies, such as:

  • innovative fleet management
  • tailoring land-use policies to favor public transit and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
  • road maintenance
  • attracting investment through business and residential development
  • Public-private partnerships to develop connected non-motorized transit

Explore these resources to learn more about green transportation:

Human health

Centering public health is key to developing sustainable communities. Health impacts are present in all aspects of our built environment. From the design and construction of buildings and neighborhoods to the availability of recreational spaces. Cities can create regulations and incentives to ensure building design, land use, and resource management prioritize the health of citizens.

Explore these resources to learn more about neighborhood design standards:

Agriculture & food systems

In the U.S., nearly a third of agricultural output originates within or on the edges of metropolitan areas. Local food networks and urban agriculture present opportunities to create local jobs, optimize land use, achieve multiple sustainability objectives, and improve public health. A growing number of educators also recognize school gardens as a great tool for teaching about food production, ecology, biology, and other sciences.

Cities can support local food movements by:

  • enabling urban farms and gardens
  • supporting farmers markets and food security councils
  • promoting community supported agriculture through small business development

Local food networks include:

  • private businesses
  • neighborhood groups
  • youth programs
  • urban farming projects involving seniors, people experiencing homeless, and people in recovery

Explore these resources to learn more about supporting local food networks:

GreenTools supporting cities

King County provides green-building technical assistance through the GreenTools Program and leads by example through the Green Building Ordinance.

GreenTools helps create sustainable communities through supporting builders, residents, businesses and governments create and sustain green buildings and developments. The GreenTools Team can help users with technical assistance, grants, hands-on training, and information to find locally produced, high quality sustainable building materials and resources.

Learn more by visiting our Green Ordinance and Resources page

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