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Minutes 07-18-08 MEETING MINUTES OF THE BOYNTON BEACH GREEN TASK FORCE DEVELOPERS ROUNDTABLE HELD AT INTRACOASTAL PARK CLUBHOUSE AT 1:00 PM ON JULY 18,2008 BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA GREEN TASK FORCE: Carisse LeJeune, Assistant to the City Manager Wayne Segal, Public Information Liaison Mike Simon, CRA Development Manager Chris Roschek, Division Manager Engineering, Utilities Nancy Byrne, Assistant Director of Development ABSENT: Jody Rivers, Parks Superintendent Mike Dauta, Warehouse Manager Alan Karjalainen, Webmaster Debby Majors, Grants Coordinator Christine Roberts, Assistant Director of Public Works Nancy Byrne, Assistant Development Director, opened the meeting at 1 :08 p.m. and asked those in attendance to sign in. She explained the Green Task Force had implemented over 100 initiatives in the City and had a page on the City's website that reviewed some of the other items the Task Force was working on. The page contained useful links for those interested in the initiative. Boynton Beach TV, Channel 18 also contained public service announcements on the issue. Ms. Byrne explained the Development Division consisted of the Building, Business Tax, Community Improvement, and Planning and Zoning Departments. They also work with other departments to process site plans expeditiously. Elected officials in attendance were introduced as were members of the Green Task Force, and City Staff. The purpose of the meeting was to assist the City with ideas on how to establish a Green Building Ordinance and to establish a Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Standard. The Green Task Force would forward both of these ordinances to the City Commission. Kyle Abney, Abney and Abney Green Solutions, a specialist on "Greening" was introduced. Mr. Abney explained he represented the local US Green Building Council (USGBC) - Treasure Coast and Palm Beach Branch and the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) Board. Mr. Abney explained building green goes beyond municipalities, rather it had to do with resources. He explained there was a close affiliation with global warming and natural 1 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 disasters such as hurricanes, that occur due to carbon emissions. There was a large amount of waste associated with building as it pertained to water, energy consumption, carbon emissions and waste. He reported much could be done for those. In Florida, the USGBC and the Florida Green Building Coalition have promoted transformation of the market place, and those concepts have trickled down to local building councils and homebuilder associations. Many trade magazines feature articles regarding Green Building and many Florida municipalities instituted green building Initiatives. The USGBC used a label system, where categories of green were rated, similar to a listing of food ingredients on a product package. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system was not the only tool used; the Florida Building Coalition had a state-wide standard with specific aspects tailored to Florida. The LEED system, however, was the standard used when focusing on Green Certification. Both systems reviewed five aspects which were water, energy use, materials, site planning and indoor environment quality including air and lighting. The LEED label assigned points to those categories. Items discussed in the sustainable site category encompassed the age of the building, if it was a brand new site, or an infill site if it would be renovated as opposed to demolished, stormwater management and runoff, and light pollution reduction regarding the type of light emitted. The water category encompassed water efficiency, discharge water compliance and water efficient landscaping. These could be electronic faucets, rainwater harvesting for irrigation and even dual flush commodes. The energy category encompassed reducing energy consumption, and using simple strategies such as the orientation of the buildings, and use of overhangs. These were things that involved very little cost. Materials that were considered rapidly renewable were those that could be harvested, grown, extracted, manufactured and put into place within 10 years. Using local and regional materials was another method. Recycling construction waste and using wood products that were certified as a "Sustainable Harvest" by a Forest Stewardship Council was another method used. Indoor environmental quality was thought to be the most important component. Using materials with a low volatile organic compound could make a difference, as was allowing for more daylight or fresh air. The LEED system provided for innovation in design bonus points and each category was assigned points; that when totaled, correlated to the level of certification received. The point system to certification levels were Platinum 52-69 points, Gold 39-51 points, 2 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 Silver 33-38 points and Certified 26-32 points. When a building was certified a medallion would be placed on the building. The average green building saved 30% energy, 35%- 50% C02, 35%-50% water use, and 50%-90% waste costs which helped reduce costs over the long term. Instituting green measures resulted in savings and an improved bottom line for the owner/occupants; however, a greater benefit was enhanced productivity. In the workplace, if a small percentage of the occupants were affected by the changes, the result would be reduced absenteeism, improved employee morale, and increased recruitment and retention. There could also be productivity increases by having individual temperature control and lighting available to employees. Other examples of increased productivity in green certified buildings were earlier discharges from hospitals, improved test scores in schools, and having higher retail sales offices. The LEED rating system also has other products for commercial interiors, existing buildings, core and shell buildings and their new programs focused on new homes, new development and schools. There were many similarities between the LEED standards and the FGBC standards. The FGBC was specific to Florida and factored in the disaster resistant features. The standards looked at the entire development. The benefits to the County and the homeowner were numerous. The strategies resulted in reduced traffic, conservation and preservation of natural systems via water and energy, and it reduced the burden on infrastructure. It also required the developer to receive a third party verification. In addition to conserving natural resources, the standards assist circulation patterns, and encourage developers to provide community amenities such as a community pool or clubhouse. It strived to adhere to deed restrictions and covenants to not prevent green development via the use of solar panels, rain barrels and it encouraged education. The FGBC Green Government Building Certification program was the only certification in the country and the USGBC was reviewing it to determine if it could be adopted. Mr. Abney indicated several municipalities in Florida were going through the certification process. The expense associated with the building was viewed more of an investment than a "COSt." The result of a California study showed of 33 buildings that were LEED certified, over a 10 year period, it only required a 1.8% investment above the usual construction costs. The expense was commensurate with the level of certification and could range from .66% for certified to 6.8% for platinum certification. The green improvements paid for themselves in three years and saved about 25-40%. For the program to be successful, all associated trades needed to be involved Commissioner Ross noted Palm Beach County was not on the list of governments having green standards. She inquired if their interest was for County buildings. Mr. Abney responded measures could be instituted for fleet management, stormwater, or a 3 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 mass transit system, and could weave through the entire operations of the County. The County would have to decide whether they wanted to include buildings and would have to certify them. Joe Snider, Architect and owner of Building Green Generations, was a board member of the South Florida GBC chapter and the City of Delray Beach Green Task Force. He explained he was appointed by the Delray Beach City Commission as a local citizen. Their process began because the Mayor signed up to be a local green government. Dan Sloan, Sloan Building Design, was also a member of Delray Beach Green Task Force and he explained he would recommend there be a green commission with staff on it. Regarding the local governmental standards, he advised the task force spent many hours reviewing standards to rank the issues that could be addressed for a municipality to proceed to receive the designation. He announced they hoped to obtain the gold standard. Wayne Bergman, Chief Building Official, explained his job was to work with the Florida Building Codes and the referenced standards. He noted there are many different standards such Energy Star. The LEED program through the USGBC, the FGBC, the NHB, the ASHRAY Green Building Standard all had their own ratings. It was important for him to be familiar with them, and while the green ratings and certification were important, he was more interested in the building codes and the standards. Mr. Bergman advised there was one true green building code in existence which was the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, or ASHRA Y, and their Standard 189, which was applicable to new commercial buildings and major renovation projects. The standard addressed energy efficiency, the buildings impact on atmosphere, sustainable site, water use efficiency, materials resources and indoor environmental quality. The standard was developed for future adoption by reference into the various building codes around the country. The Florida Building Code did not reference the standard, nor would it be referenced in the future, or at least in the next Code cycle. The current Building Code did, however, address some of the green building features such as glazing products, air conditioning systems, occupant sensing lighting, water conserving plumbing fixtures and mandated R-Values in walls and ceilings. He explained the Florida Building Codes were based on the ICC model codes for construction. These included the building, structural, plumbing, residential, and mechanical codes. The model ICC Code books have been rewritten for Florida to account for the large age-qualified population, the termite problem, the hot climate and hurricanes. Florida was getting ready to adopt a new set of building codes later this year. The new version of the Florida Building Code will shift from the 1977 Florida Thermal Efficiency Standards and the 1987 Energy Conservation Standards, both a part of F.S. 553 and moved to a more modern ICC Energy Conservation Code. One reason for the delayed adoption was because the Governor decreed the Florida Energy Code 4 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 be 15% more stringent by 2009 than originally proposed. The Energy Code was being adjusted with the goal of having building systems generate up to 100% of its energy by the year 2025. The computer programs used to determine energy code compliance for residential and commercial buildings has also changed. The new software is intended to increase Florida's Code Compliance System by integrating it with the increasing number of performance based national incentive programs available for code plus programs such as EPA Energy Star new homes and to qualify for tax credits, and proposed tradable credits for energy efficiency. The changes involve energy efficiency and conservation. For the short term, green roof systems and cisterns will be reviewed as an alternative design construction method under the Code subject to the discretion of the County or building official. The National Association of Homebuilders partnered with ICC to produce the National Green Building Standard, (NGBS), known as the 2008 ICC 700 Code which is the first consensus based standard for residential green building and will be the first Code accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The standard encompassed seven categories: energy, water, efficiency, resource efficiency, lot development/site development, indoor environmental quality and homeowner education. There are four certification levels associated with it. Ms. Byrne noted the City's perspective was that soon, the equivalent of LEED Certification or Florida Green Building Certification would equal what the building code would be and certification would not give that much more. When a recommendation is made to use a specific certification standard, the code would catch up with greening. Ms. Byrne reviewed Gainesville had a green ordinance and would be a model for Boynton Beach based on its population and size and was one of the earliest municipalities to pass an ordinance. She noted there were numerous projects occurring elsewhere in Florida. Gainesville had initiated fast-track permitting for building permits, a 50% reduction in building permit fees. The City would provide marketing incentives, including signs on site, and general press releases from the City, and an annual Green Building Award for outstanding projects. When the process was first implemented, it was cumbersome and they refined the process. Gainesville also repealed their original 50% building permit reduction and were now offering a 25% building rebate. Ms. Byrne advised this occurred in other municipalities as well. Miami-Dade County had greater incentives than what Boynton Beach could offer. Many of their buildings were LEED rated. Oakland Park had a district specific Green Ordinance which offered a density bonus; however, once the density was offered, there was no guarantee the project would 5 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 receive the certification. Oakland Park used a two tiered system that had a ratings scale, so any additional gross area that was added as the density bonus, they had to bond. The original ordinance required a $150 per square foot on the additional square footage of a commercial building and $200 on a residential building. This issue arose at the Oakland Park City Commission because one project required a $2.9M bond at the time of permit for the additional density, which was not feasible. The staff proposal was to create an incentive and reduce the bonding across the board to $70 per square foot. This ensured the City would not give up its density prematurely. The City would keep 100% of the bond if the builder did not reach the certification it specified, and if it received a lower certification the municipality kept 50% of the bond. Pompano Beach adopted an ordinance similar to the Gainesville ordinance with a 50% permit reduction rebate for going green and they have not had any applicants in over a year, nor was there interest in the program. The Building Official had concerns over what would happen as it related to the fees and there would likely be changes to the ordinance in the near future. Sarasota County has the same ordinance as Gainesville, and in 2007, the Board of Commissioners voted to discontinue the rebate completely on Green Buildings, effective December 28, 2007. The only incentives currently were expedited permitting and priority inspections. Tampa had a district specific program. There were green incentives for individuals doing renovations. Tamarac was the first to obtain the Florida Green Building Standard. Ms. Byrne directed the audience to their website which had specific incentives, but she noted green building was not necessarily part of Green Florida Local Governments. Their initiatives mainly focused on in-house practices and day to day operations on the City level. They could not offer incentives or density bonuses in light of the present economic climate. The workshop recessed at 2:09 p.m. The workshop reconvened at 2:26 p.m. Self-introductions were made. Ms. Byrne requested input on whether the consensus of the workshop should be put forward as a mandatory or voluntary recommendation and on what level each of those should occur. Additionally, if a voluntary recommendation was made, on any level, staff needed to know what incentives should be instituted. The pros of an ordinance were reviewed and items identified were developing sustainable buildings, reduced operating costs because of the long term energy efficiency, reduced repairs, lower water costs, a healthier environment, site construction that was more environmentally friendly because of recycling occurring and using natural 6 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 elements. Infill and reuse of land was a prime target for the ordinance as was affordable housing. Ms. Byrne explained if affordable housing and the green building standards could be aligned, the homeowner would benefit from the long-term savings which was the goal of the Affordable Housing Program. Ms. Byrne explained conversely, the certification was time consuming. The incentive would not be given ahead of time. It would be a rebate after the certification was presented to the City. Much of the initiative was regionally based, i.e. the FGBC considered the Florida environment wherein, LEED was not as sensitive. Alternative design was discussed and it was noted that much of what occurred in green buildings was new and unproven, which only a building official could approve. That aspect detracted as a potential incentive. The cost of the product was new and had a higher cost. It also took time to find the best product to find the return on the dollar. The cost of the certifying agent was significant and actually repeated the process. The return on investment was discussed. Most developers have investors that were looking for the return on investment. The current economy also was a detriment to the effort and could price Boynton out of the marketplace for new construction. A mandatory ordinance versus a voluntary one was discussed. The most popular way was for government to make itself a standard and mandate its own buildings are built to a certain standard. Staffs concern was do they pick one standard, which standard should be used, and how do they ensure the capital improvement budget was funded adequately? In the private sector, the norm was voluntary to a certain level of square footage. Once the threshold was met it was voluntary. Renovations were discussed. If green renovations are made to a non-green building, there would be a return to the City due to the reduction in greenhouse gases, but it was unknown how to reward the builder on the green side of the issue. How to reward residents who retrofit their homes to start the greening process without going through a formal certification level was an issue. For example, the Florida Solar Energy Commission gives incentives, but at what level does the City start to give incentives and should it be based on percentage of square foot or the type of certification sought. Possible incentives could be reduced planning fees, reduced permit and impact fees and if there was a way for the City to offset its own impact fees or the county's impact fees. Property tax abatements were commonly used. There were other outstanding questions such as should they put together a grant program to incentivize and make available funds for those wanting to go green. Should they issue feebates or should they charge individuals who are not using green products, to fund the green initiatives? Expedited permitting and inspection was discussed. Some of the caveats with this were the only individual who could approve alternative methods is the building official and it would be difficult. Expedited site plan review could be moved along quicker. A density 7 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 bonus had potential. If more units were constructed and the density given, would the developer be willing to bond it, and the municipality would be guaranteed the project would receive the certification. Marketing assistance was highlighted. Examples of these were whether the developer wanted to be featured on the municipality's website, have an on-site sign, making public announcements or receive a green award plaque in addition to the LEED or FGBS plaque. Mr. Snider explained it was his observation that in organizations where there were capital budgets and operations and maintenance budgets, those two sectors do not communicate with one another. It should be viewed as an investment to the City, because the City spends money on infrastructure. If a building is constructed, a green building uses less of all resources and lessens the burden on the system. He explained in NYC, there is per square foot rebate for green roofs, because they would spend less money by incentivizing to reduce their stormwater run-off than it would cost to build a stormwater system. Washington D.C. did the same thing. He suggested when reviewing the issues, the City was also spending funds to support development, and in a sense, developers would be rewarded for using less of the City's resources. If the lessened demand could delay installing a stormwater system for 5 or 10 years because individuals were putting in green roofs, pervious paving and water collection cisterns, that would be a huge savings to the City. The savings would be seen on the other end and there was a financial benefit to the Cities. Ms. Byrne acknowledged the City had reviewed if the structure was going green and used less capacity, the developer would not pay the full impact fee. Dan Walesky, Royal Concete Concepts, advised BuiltSmart was an FPL conservation program. FPL was able to document their capital expenditures for the next 10 years and what it would cost to install power generators for increased development. Their conservation program indicated if they spend a certain amount of money, they could save a certain amount of demand and offset the cost of installing new plants. Those savings would be applied to the rebate program for conservation. He advised it was through that model they were active and successful in engaging the building industry to participate in different programs for conservation. Scott Freeland, explained he and his wife installed solar panels on their business, which was the Learning Place Preschool. He explained they were interested in the financial incentives. When they called companies for solar panels, no one was interested in photovoltaics, they were just interested in solar hot water. A friend from Germany, who used solar energy, directed him to a company in New Mexico. The components of solar energy were the panels, the inverter (transformer) and the fastening system. He explained there were only a few companies that make the fastening products and he learned they could stand up to 140 mph winds. He also learned that by using the products, a credit could be given on their electric. 8 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 The business submitted their design to the Florida State Energy Commission and received approval, and they then went to the City and received approval. Now they generate about 25% of their electric. They save 648 pounds of C02 in approximately three weeks. They were building another building with cisterns and geothermal air conditioning, which was substantially more expensive and they were interested in incentives. The State offers a $4 rebate for every kilowatt saved. They installed a five kilowatt system in the school. As a business, they were eligible for up to a $100K rebate. He submitted his request for rebate for $20K and the State of Florida was out of money. They must wait until next year when hopefully they will have allocated more funds for rebates. He commented in Germany the rebate is given immediately. Jim Williams, JMWA Architects, spoke about LEED certified buildings and expedited permits. He explained they were working on five LEED Silver buildings, three of them in Miami and their expedited permitting was received in three months as opposed to regular permitting in about eight to twelve months. He explained there did not have to be anything unusual about the building, it could be awnings, the roof, just common sense items. Miami-Dade assigns someone to usher the project permit through the system. To be certified it was probably a no cost increase, but because they had to certify on the silver level, there was cost. They added external screening on the east and west sides, and they added a membrane roof, which keeps the roof cool. Mike Campbell, Habitat for Humanity, was concerned. When they have to redesign a home, it would be about $13K additional to construct a green home. They were a small builder and they build on infill properties. They operate through volunteers and most supplies were donated. They also have a re-store which reclaims construction materials from construction sites. He explained the next five homes would have ceramic tile because 1,300 square feet is throw-away on big homes that other developers were constructing. The tile companies deliver it to them to store. He explained to sell the concept to older residents on the benefits of going green can be difficult and he needed assistance in getting them to understand the concept. The homeowner however, would see the savings. Mr. Walesky explained the major discrepancy they found was in what a normal building cost, not what the green materials cost. He explained many individuals budget differently. In many markets individuals were trying to build as much as they could for as little as possible and builders were forced to use that standard, which would result in additional costs. Commissioner Ross inquired about examples of LEED and green buildings for historic preservation. Mr. Abney explained LEED had been used on historic preservation and does reward developers for reusing a building as opposed to building a new one. Being sustainable was reusing what was available. The renovations give a lot more value to the building and results in a structure the community could cherish. 9 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 Mr. Freeland explained there was not much conflict between historic preservation and LEEDS. The National Trust did a study showing historic buildings typically use less energy than the structures built in the 50s and 60s. The greatest energy investments in the country were in the buildings already constructed. Barbara Ready, City resident, inquired if the City had taken measures to educate the public about incentives, what could be done for private residents, or what could be done for solar and water. Ms. Byrne explained those incentives was something they would like to present to the City Commission. She explained they visited the World Concrete site, which builds affordable homes, with very little waste. She explained there was a dramatic drop in temperature inside the building from the heat of the day without air conditioning. There were ways to get the efficiency out there. When affordable housing is addressed, those were the incentives. The Affordable Housing, CDBG and SHIP programs had funds that could be used, but many homes needing to be rehabilitated have code violations which are addressed first. Then the energy savings fall by the wayside. She explained this was a program where the City and CRA could provide incentives for the upgrades and the Community Improvement Division had limited funds to do so. Part of the ordinance should be geared towards existing homes and affordable housing, not just geared to the larger developers with larger projects. Ms. Bryne explained greenhouse gas emissions reduction occurs throughout the City, not just from new constructions. Ed L1orca, MSA Architects, explained philosophically, as a society it is their responsibility to minimize the use of energy. It should not be motivated by an incentive, rather it should be a sociological response to the present situation. As to making the item mandatory, they were not. LEEDS certification was a bit more than meeting the Florida Building Code. If someone wanted to do more, they could. He did not think an incentive to do the right thing was the correct way to go. James Barton, Chen & Associates, explained he participated in a rain barrel making seminar, and rain barrels were not easy to find. The County Agricultural Extension Officer ordered bulk barrels and volunteers put holes and taps in them. If the City was interested in doing a community outreach program for rain barrels, he would be a good source. John Costlow, Florida Public Utilities, spoke about the Merrie Place project, and individuals interested in affordable housing projects should contact the utility companies for their rebate programs. The utility contributed about $340K and conducted the certification for the development and individual units. He explained the state was going through a process where all investor owned utilities are conducting a technical study to revamp their programs for institute rate impact measures. He encouraged the City to do the same. It encompassed the economics of all, with offset generation, or cap and trade for the C02 that is reduced and the associated cost. It measured the offset between electricity and natural gas, and greenhouse gas emissions. Appliance 10 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 efficiencies are significantly higher. He referenced House Bill 7125 and indicated Florida is implementing appliance efficiency standards that would exceed the federal requirements. He reported the utilities in this area spent about $20M in incentives. Nich Mihelich, Landscape Architect with Urban Design Studio, spoke about irrigation systems and the SFWMD rules. He expressed they were applying a time constraint as opposed to a volume constraint. He explained for a project in Palm Beach County, it would take 82 hours to turn on all the zones and irrigate the entire property. SFWMD allowed two days to water which would be for eight hours on each of those days. He explained this was a potential backfire because large development who would plant landscaping, there would be no savings of water, rather they would install larger diameter pipes, pumps and electric. He asked if there was a program where a homeowner could apply for an urban cistern, and get off potable water, and whether it worked from a Health Department standpoint, and saved money in the long run. Ms. Byrne explained there was a concern about coming ling water on site. The City discussed it with Utilities and the problem was with an existing dwelling will the piping be correctly coded in the ground so they do not contaminate the public water system. This could be with either commercial or residential buildings. She contacted the County Health Department about whether Palm Beach County would consider a gray water system on residential properties. The City has an interest in seeing that developed, but would have to partner with the County. This would have a capital impact on the City because they would be taking away capital facility funds that would normally go to Utilities, but it would be an incentive because those resources are not being tapped. They would be refunded back to the consumer. She believed consumer education was needed. She agreed gray water, cisterns and rain barrels all were helpful. Ms. Byrne explained the results of the meeting would be reviewed by the Plan Review Process Team and Green Task Force to formulate recommendations and options for the City Commission. She explained financial incentives were needed, but she needed sound recommendations, especially in light of the City's budget constraints. She noted other communities were re-evaluating ordinances they passed earlier on. Mr. Abney spoke about costs, and years ago, most premiums for a building were for soft costs. These have been reduced significantly. LEED and overall design is more common place. The cost for certification still remained. He would like to see his municipality going green in all aspects for the private sector and commercial and residential, and at least for publically funded projects. Mack Bernard, General Counsel for Auburn, was present and acknowledged with the budget constraints, reduced planning and permit fees may not be possible, but expressed he thought expedited permitting and inspection, and site plan review would be helpful if they used green products. 11 Meeting Minutes Green Task Force Developers Roundtable Boynton Beach, Florida July 18, 2008 An unidentified individual expressed he has seen some communities target certain areas of infrastructure and target where the savings were going. When receiving certification, it would be designated they would need to get, for example, stormwater credit so the municipalities could offset those accommodations. Mr. Abney noted other cities have referenced LEED but indicate they only have to get half of the points. He did not recommend that because then the City employee was doing the review. The Commission was encouraged to pay incentives after the building was completed. Commissioner Ross thanked all for coming and for their input. Ms. Byrne also thanked all for coming. She introduced Debby Coles-Dobay, Public Arts Administrator, which is now becoming a part of greening as well as having art in the community. The roundtable ended at 3:30 p.m. C~(ljn^DIJ Catherine Cher~/'-Uv7 Recording Secretary 073109 12