Santa Cruz adopts LEED; New building codes take effect on January 1
Beginning Jan. 1, most new building projects in the city of Santa Cruz will be subject to green building regulations. The rules have been in place on a voluntary basis for the past year.
“This is a pretty progressive community, but we were lacking in having a functional green building program other cities have,” said Richard Stubendorff, the city’s chief building inspector.
In order to get a building permit, new homes and commercial buildings will have to include a certain amount of green-friendly components, which the program’s authors say could entail extra upfront costs but can pay off through long-term efficiencies.