Green Building is a “Whole Systems” approach for designing and constructing buildings that conserve energy, water, and material resources and are often healthier, safer, and more comfortable to live in.
In practical terms, Green Building includes:
- Using sun, wind and landscape to the building’s advantage for natural heating, cooling and daylighting
- Landscaping with native plants and using water efficiently
- Building quality, durable structures
- Insulating well and ventilating properly
- Incorporating salvaged, recycled and sustainably harvested materials.
- Maintaining healthy indoor air quality with appropriate building techniques and materials
- Using energy-efficient and water-saving appliances and fixtures
- Reducing and recycling construction waste
To encourage a more sustainable built environment, the City of Albany adopted a Green Building Ordinance that requires all development projects to incorporate green building standards. Those standards are listed in the Green Building Standards of Compliance.
Green Building Links & Downloads
Residential Developments – (Stopwaste.org Checklists):
Multifamily Greenpoint Checklist
Single-Family Greenpoint Checklist
Green Points Rating System for Remodeling Projects
Commercial Developments – (LEED® Checklists):
New Construction Checklist
Commercial Interiors Checklist
Bay Friendly Landscaping:
Bay Friendly Landscaping Scorecard
Green Building References
City of Albany Approved Ordinances:
Green Building & Bay Friendly Landscaping Regulations
Alameda County Stopwaste.org Documents
Home Remodeling
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 – Overview of Green Building
Chapter 2 – Green Points
Chapter 3 – Green Building Methods and Materials
Chapter 4 – Summary of Green Building Benefits
Chapter 5 – Green Remodeling Illustrations
Multi-Family Guidelines
Getting Started: An Overview of the Multifamily Green Building Guidelines
Multifamily Green Building Guidelines
Single Family Guidelines
New Home Construction Green Building Guidelines
U.S. Green Building Council LEED Program Documents
Commercial Interiors Rating System (v2.0)
Core & Shell Rating System (v2.0)
New Construction Rating System (v2.2)
Bay Friendly Landscaping Documents
Chapter 1 – Introduction to Bay Friendly Landscaping
Chapter 2 – Bay Friendly Landscaping Checklist
Chapter 3 – Bay Friendly Landscaping Practices
Chapter 4 – Summary of Bay Friendly Landscaping Benefits
Chapter 5 – How to Start Landscaping…in a Bay-Friendly Way