The city of Alexandria is hoping to update its environmental standards for new developments, with a proposal slated for review by the Planning Commission and City Council next month.
Released last week, the proposed Green Building Plan establishes new criteria for private and public developments in aspects like renewable energy usage and wastewater infrastructure. It serves as an update to the city’s 2019 Green Building Chapter, which currently “relies heavily on prescriptive third-party sustainability certifications with specific ‘performance points’ identified for each certification option,” according to the city.
“Alexandria envisions a sustainable, low-carbon, and resilient city where buildings, infrastructure, and land use work together to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and support the health and wellbeing of all residents,” the plan’s vision reads.
In the new plan, private developments requiring a development site plan (DSP) or development special use permit (DSUP) could choose between four criteria options (Standard, Green Building Certification, Affordable Housing and Small Projects), which are summarized in the chart below.
Public projects, meanwhile, would require a certification option in addition to net-zero energy and 100% stormwater treated through green infrastructure, according to the proposal.
Public comment for the Green Building Plan lasted from April through June. The Office of Climate Action created the plan in partnership with several city departments, including Planing & Zoning and Housing.
The plan was made with three goals in mind, according to the city.
- Focusing on the most important and impactful solutions
- Creating more regulatory certainty
- Reducing unnecessary costs associated with a certification requirement
The Green Building Plan proposal will go before the Planning Commission on Jan. 6 and City Council on Jan. 24, for incorporation into the city’s Master Plan.
