F. GREEN BUILDING AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY The 2002 General Plan includes a vision to reduce overall energy consumption and implement more environmentally sensitive building techniques. Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources—energy, water, and materials—during the building’s life cycle through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal. Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment. Buildings have a huge impact on energy use and resource consumption. In the U.S., buildings account for 39 percent of total energy use, 12 percent of the total water consumption, and 68 percent of total electricity consumption.13 In September 2007, the County established a Green Building Executive Steering Committee and Energy Efficiency Council as part of the County’s Going Green Initiative. The committee was tasked to evaluate the feasibility of the following green building goals and develop the following goal-specific implementation guidelines, actions, and financial strategies: •
Reduce 2007 energy consumption per square foot in all existing County buildings by 20 percent by the year 2015.
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Design and construct all new County buildings and public schools in accordance with the LEED14 silver rating.
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Establish incentives for both new and existing private commercial buildings to achieve a LEED silver rating or an equivalent rating under a comparable green building performance measure.
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Establish a green building education and outreach program.
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Ensure that a sufficient number of development and permit review staff possesses LEED accreditation and are able to sign off on tax credits and certifications, and to adequately assist commercial developers or large-scale property owners in meeting performance measures.
LEED is developing standards for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) that would allow for evaluation and certification of neighborhoods regarding their level of energy and environmental design. 13 14
Prince George’s County Going Green Initiative. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is a voluntary national standard developed by the U.S. Green Building Council for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
Policy •
Encourage the use of green building techniques that reduce resource and energy consumption.
Strategies Short term •
Implement the recommendations of the County’s Green Building Executive Steering Committee and Energy Efficiency Council.
Ongoing •
Consider vehicle fleet improvements: as vehicles are replaced, continue and increase hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle purchases.
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Implement anti-idling policies and consider preferred parking for hybrid vehicles.
86 | V: Environment
2013 Approved Subregion 5 Master Plan and Sectional Map Amendment