Socal Multiunit Real Estate

SEE…DOE…HUD…DOT…EPA…NGA… IS BIG BROTHER WATCHING? SOCIALIZING URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES

By Jodi Summers

Loyal readers of this blog are well aware that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) are working together in hopes of helping American families gain better access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs by creating affordable, sustainable communities.

Taking further steps in that direction, more government agencies are getting involved to attempt to make our new millennium existence easier all around. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have formed the State Energy Efficiency (SEE) Action Network to help states achieve the maximum cost-effective energy efficiency improvements possible in offices, buildings, industries and homes by 2020.

SEE…DOE…HUD…DOT…EPA…that’s a lot of government agencies making sure cities develop in the “proper” manner…socialized urban growth.

But, oops we wander, back to SEE…under the oversight of the EPA and the DOE, SEE will work with representatives from state and municipal governments, business leaders, public utility commissioners and others to make life in this country of energy efficiency for all.

The group plans to work from the framework set by the National Action Plan for Energy

Efficiency Vision for 2025, which was laid out in 2006…only the new goal is to make it a 2020 initiative…following the model set forth by California. You know AB 32 - California’s landmark 2006 global warming initiative.

(Not only has AB 32 been adopted by the Obama Administration, the International Code Council announced the state’s newly adopted Green Building Standards Code will serve as a foundation for commercial buildings worldwide AND California participated in the launch of China’s first GHG emissions registry. When his term comes to an end in November, Arnold Schwarzenegger should follow in the steps of former Vice President Al Gore in becoming a champion for energy programs that influence national and international policies…perhaps even work warmly with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Los Angeles’ 30/10 initiative…ah but we dream….)

SEE will offer technical assistance, and help with specific policy and program issues to advance energy efficiency efforts. Efforts may include financing solutions, residential efficiency programs and improving availability of energy usage information, etc…

Already the DOE and EPA have a request list that includes 32 state public utility commissions wanting assistance with energy efficiency programs.

SEE…DOE…HUD…DOT…EPA…and don’t forget the NGA…the National Governors Association is another national agency championing states with energy efficiency efforts.

Earlier this year, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices selected six states - Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Utah and Wisconsin - to participate in the organization’s Policy Academy on State Building Efficiency Retrofit Programs.

The academy, funded by the DOE (you remember them, working with DOT among other liaisons…), is designed to help states develop strategies and action plans to improve the energy efficiency of existing building and reduce costs and emissions.

SEE…DOE…HUD…DOT…EPA…NGA… is Big Brother is watching?

**

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2257243/agencies-action-buildings

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/?p=691

http://www.socalindustrialrealestateblog.com/?p=434

http://www.santamonicapropertyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/department-of-transportation.jpg

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/hud-300×300.gif

http://watersecretsblog.com/archives/epa_seal.gif

http://management.energy.gov/images/New_DOE_Seal_Color_042808.png

CALGREEN – > CALIFORNIA NOW HAS THE COUNTRY’S GREENEST BUILDING STANDARD

By Jodi Summers

Bravo to us! California has adopted the greenest building standards in the United States…and the world.

The new code, called Calgreen, goes into effect next January 2011. It requires all builders to:

v Install plumbing that cuts indoor water use.

Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, said the new building code would require developers to slash water use in their buildings by 20%, using more efficient toilets, shower heads and faucets.

v Divert 50 percent of construction waste from landfills to recycling.

v Use low-pollutant paints, carpets and floorings

v Buildings will be given certificates of occupancy occupied only after strict energy standards were verified.

In addition, for non residential buildings:

v Install separate water meters for different uses.

v Mandates the inspection of energy systems by local officials to ensure that heaters, air conditioners and other mechanical equipment in nonresidential buildings are working efficiently.

v It allows local jurisdictions, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, to retain their stricter existing green building standards, or adopt more stringent versions of the state code if they choose.

“California should be proud… These are simple, cost-effective green practices. …” notes Tom Sheehy, acting secretary of the state Consumer Services Agency and chair of the California Building Standards Commission, which approved the standards. “This is (something) no other state in the country has done - integrating green construction practices into the very fabric of the construction code.”

While California’s largest metropolitan areas have adopted their own green building standards, these new regulations will be particularly useful for smaller jurisdictions that have been unable to develop their own green construction guidelines.

This is a positive alternative to LEED construction standards. Sites Sandra Boyle, an executive vice president of Glenborough, a developer, “The cost for owners to go through this rating system is astronomical — in a very challenging commercial real estate market.”

“You will have a whole bunch of cities that never would have included this in their building doing it, and doing it in a way that won’t kill the economy,” observes Matthew Hargrove, a vice president with the California Business Properties Association. “Outside the coastal areas it will be helpful - like in West Sacramento, where they looked into creating a green building code but balked because it’s cumbersome to develop and they didn’t have the resources.”

Buildings currently account for about one-quarter of the state’s total greenhouse gas emissions. These new standards are applauded as an important step in helping California meet its goal in reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020.

**

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/01/13/MNDR1BH9SA.DTL#ixzz0dJ9grkaW

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/01/13/MNDR1BH9SA.DTL

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-green-building11-2010jan11,0,1841989.story

http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/WA/Kohler-DualFlush-BR08-lg.jpg

MALIBU GOES GREEN UNDER PRESSURE

MALIBU GOES GREEN UNDER PRESSURE

By Jodi Summers

Malibu should be ashamed of itself, acting like conservation is not for the wealthy. Santa Monica has been heavily into the green movement for years – aiming to become a net zero city, Our mother city, Los Angeles, is very motivated to become one of the greenest cities. Meantime the gilded village of Malibu is only turning green because of upcoming deadlines for compliance with state-mandated sustainable development standards.

Under pressure by state mandates, Malibu is finally getting around to developing a sustainable development program. This comes more than a year after the City of L.A.’s green building ordinance to reduce the City’s carbon emissions by more than 80,000 tons by 2012. Motivated only by state regulation, Malibu is planning to require larger projects to be LEED certified. Money is green; Malibu will get the hang of it.

Grudgingly, in late summer, Malibu began to comply with mandated standards addressing water use for landscape irrigation. Additionally the fabled city on PCH will comply with other statewide requirements, such as weather-proofing, formaldehyde content in wood products, air conditioning refrigerants, and outside air ventilation, not to mention finally getting collection areas for recyclables. (Hello! If that’s an issue for you guys, just bring in some homeless, and they’ll recycle for you.)

As Malibu has been so late to get on board the green bandwagon, the city is panicking about meeting residential construction standards effective Jan. 1, 2011, benchmarks that are already in place in neighboring Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Los Angeles.

The January 2011 requirements call for sediment and runoff protection from construction sites; diversion of at least 50% of construction waste; low or no use of volatile organic compounds such as indoor adhesives, paints and coatings; low formaldehyde indoor finish materials.

Looking further forward, as of July 1, 2011, residential construction projects will be required to be more water efficient – insisting on a 20 percent reduction in indoor water use.

Not to be berated for being totally arrogant and antiquated, Malibu does already have mandates in place for water conservation landscaping – though some city residents are insisting that is not enforced.

“I think our biggest problem is water in Malibu,” planning Commissioner Regan Schaar noted, more than a year after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a statewide drought. “The issue of people submitting plans [development applications] without any landscaping plans is a way for them to get around the issue. We need to put landscaping plans in place and make sure they’re low water usage.”

Malibu has been an ostrich, hiding its proverbial head in the sand while other local cities have been proactive on conservation measures. Lifestyles of the rich and infamous.

**

http://www.malibutimes.com/articles/2009/06/10/news/news3.txt

http://pleinlesyeux2.ifrance.com/ocean/inside%20out,%20baja%20malibu.jpg

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/?p=75

http://www.north-cyprus-properties.com/places/malibu-beach/photos/Malibu-Beach-(01).jpg

http://www.triyoga.com/Galleries/images/malibu_point1.jpg

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/835/images/malibu_sportfishing_pier_sign.jpg

http://www.beaumondevillas.com/images/cities-malibu.jpg

http://www.imagekandi.com/photo/images/Malibu-Beach-Houses.jpg

http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/california/images/s/malibu-beaches.jpg

http://www.city-data.com/picfilesv/picv7812.php

http://pics2.city-data.com/city/maps/fr2937.png

FYI – NEW MULTIFAMILY LEGISLATION FROM SACRAMENTO

FYI – NEW MULTIFAMILY LEGISLATION FROM SACRAMENTO

By Jodi Summers

Legislators in Sacramento were more interested in finding was of shrinking the new $7.4 billion deficit for the 2010-11 budget than they were in thinking about the hit that apartment building owners have taken in the multiunit marketplace this downturn.

Fortunately, the more ominous legislation affecting multiunit properties has been shelved until next year, but, as a local multiunit property owner, we know you want to know what has passed and what is on the horizon.

Passed

* Assembly Bill 1020 (Emmerson, R-Redlands): Limits fees that may be imposed by local and state government and preempts local health departments from adopting any new or additional safety standards on top of federal guidelines regarding public swimming pools. Brings state regulations in line with federal law regarding anti-entrapment devices in pools.

* Senate Bill 120 (Lowenthal, D-Long Beach): Allows a tenant or occupant who has paid utilities in place of a landlord in order to prevent him or her from being shut off to deduct that amount from rental payments.

* Senate Bill 290 (Leno, D-San Francisco): Extends a Jan. 1, 2010, sunset period for a 60-day termination notice requirement for tenants who live in a property for longer than one year.

Be Aware of

* Assembly Bill 473, from Assemblymen Bob Blumenfield, D-Van Nuys, will require owners of properties with five or more units to arrange for mandatory recycling services.

* Assembly Bill 479, introduced by Assemblyman Wayne Chesbro, D-Arcata, will require local governments in large counties to adopt mandatory recycling laws for commercial properties.

**

http://www.carealestatejournal.com/newswire/index.cfm?sid=&tkn=&eid=905490&evid

http://www.consrv.ca.gov/smgb/PublishingImages/CaliforniaStateCapitol02.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/12/the-governator—64_1280.jpg

http://www.greentechforum.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/california_state_flag.png

http://www.limitstogrowth.org/WEB-Graphics/CaliforniaPostcardGreetings.jpg

http://forcechange.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/cfl-float.jpg

CURBING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS - THE GOVERNATOR’S LEGACY

CURBING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS - THE GOVERNATOR’S LEGACY

By Jodi Summers

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will eventually leave office, but his impact may be felt for generations to come. AB 32 and Order S-21-09 – California admirably and aggressive energy initiatives pushed forward by our governor, may actually make the world a cleaner, better place.

“Global warming is a global problem that requires a global solution and I am committed to working toward that solution so our children and grandchildren are left with a clean environment and a strong economy,” observes Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “Our policies have influenced the world.”

Thought you’d all appreciate a little primer on AB 32 and Order S-21-09 – California’s bold green energy strategies.

The regulations authorized under AB 32, California’s landmark 2006 global warming initiative gave us the world’s first comprehensive law to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Current law requires investor-owned utilities such as Edison to produce 20% of their power from wind, solar and geothermal energy by 2010 (a target they are expected to miss.)

AB 32 mandates a reduction of California’s GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and calls for an 80 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2050. The state has approved an AB 32 Scoping Plan as a blueprint for reducing GHG emissions, adopted measures from the Low Carbon Fuel Standard to the Pavley Vehicle Standards to address 40 percent of its overall goals and is working on more than 20 additional measures such as a cap-and-trade system to fully meet AB 32 mandates.

Recently, the Governator signed Executive Order S-21-09, directing the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations increasing California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard to 33 percent by 2020 - putting California on track to becoming the largest clean energy producer in the nation.

“Every year it becomes more apparent that no single issue threatens the health and prosperity of our world, or provides a greater opportunity for economic success than climate change,” concludes the governor. “That is why California has stepped up to take the lead. Three years ago I signed the world’s most comprehensive global warming law and since then our emissions have been reduced, our green economy has grown and our policies have influenced the world.”

Once his term as governor is finished, Arnold Schwarzenegger may find himself joining former Vice President Al Gore in the crusade for a cleaner planet.

**

http://gov.ca.gov/issue/energy-environment/

http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_13345618?source=rss

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-power16-2009sep16,0,3412344.story

http://www.environmentamerica.org/uploads/ig/hp/ighpWSCwRpKVJbuUaA7LCA/DSC_0263.jpg

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/martin_rowson/2006/09/01/rowsonatlas512.jpg

http://www.pollsb.com/photos/o/38053-release_greenhouse_gasses_atmosphere_believed_cause_global_climate_changes_following_causes_increase_greenhouse_gas_emissions.jpg

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ArnoldSchwarzenegger

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/04/sb_presentations/source/7.htm

GREENING BUILDINGS THE EASY WAY - THE ICC GREEN BUILDING OVERLAY

GREENING BUILDINGS THE EASY WAY - THE ICC GREEN BUILDING OVERLAY

By Jodi Summers

More green building codes anyone? Sure, there are already several green building codes in use today - LEED, Energy Star, NAHB Green, Green Globes, BREEM and the latest, and perhaps most practical to join the crowd is ICC – the of International Code Council.

FYI, you’ve walked through hundreds of International Code Council respecting properties. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt building codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council. As the ICC already has such a huge fan base, they’ve decided to have their input into green building codes > a.k.a. IGCC.

The objective of this new project is to develop a Green Building Code for traditional and high-performance buildings that is consistent and coordinated with the ICC family of Codes and Standards.

“Congratulations on taking such an important step to ensure the creation of such a code system. We are pleased to support this effort in any way possible,” USGBC President Richard Fedrizzi stated publicly, throwing in a compliment to the Code Council for “undertaking a collaborative approach to this important work.”

A bit of insight: the International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools.

Being the progressive state that we are, California, has already adopted a green building code, which is incorporated into the template the ICC has come up with for the rest of the country.

“California continues to lead the nation and I commend the hard work of the Building Standards Commission to adopt the first-in-the-nation statewide green building standards,” proudly observed Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The objective of the ICC code will be to raise the bottom line, giving all buildings a greener baseline. LEED, in contrast, is a bolder standard, providing innovative and more challenging ways to reduce green house gas emissions, materials usage, enhance energy efficiency, and all other good green things.

An ICC green code will make politicians, building inspectors and code officials comfortable with adopting and utilizing I-Codes as the basis for building regulations. By adopting an ICC code and augmenting it with what some of the greener cities like Santa Monica, Berkeley, Sacramento and West Hollywood are doing, municipalities will not have to reinvent the code wheel when looking to implement green building practices.

Wisely, the ICC Green Building Code is an overlay that can integrate with the I-codes that already exist in most jurisdictions.

**

http://www.greenbuildinglawblog.com

http://www.greenerbuildings.com/blog/2009/08/20/why-world-needs-another-green-building-standard

http://www.iccsafe.org/

http://www.socalgreenrealestateblog.com/?p=157

http://www.iccsafe.org/news/nr/2009/0722_USGBC.pdf

CALIFORNIA ENDORSES STATEWIDE GREEN BUILDING CODE + LOOKS TOWARD 2010

CALIFORNIA ENDORSES STATEWIDE GREEN BUILDING CODE + LOOKS TOWARD 2010

When it comes to green building, California continues to lead the way in adopting environmentally-friendly building codes. Most recently, the California Building Standards Commission has taken the opportunity, along with other state agencies, to develop green building standards that will establish California as a leader in the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from structures. This is part of an ongoing evolution of how California will build.

�By adopting this first-in-the-nation statewide green building code, California is again leading the way to fight climate change and protect the environment. This is literally a groundbreaking move to ensure that when we break ground on all new buildings in the Golden State we are promoting green building and energy efficient new technologies,” notes Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The recently amended California Green Building Standards Code, CCR, Title 24, Part 11 now includes mandatory features with a delayed effective date for housing, and voluntary standards for hospitals and other non-residential occupancies. The Commission will continue to work with state agencies and the many stakeholders as we develop a comprehensive set of mandatory provisions in the 2010 edition of the California Green Building Standards Code. “California continues to lead the nation and I commend the hard work of the Building Standards Commission to adopt the first-in-the-nation statewide

green building standards,� proudly observes our Governator. “Cars and buildings are two of the leading users of energy � we�re already addressing cars, and these new building standards will ensure that California remains at the forefront of reducing our carbon footprint and conserving valuable natural resources while also protecting our economy,” he concludes. “We have already committed to making our state-owned buildings more green and energy efficient and this statewide code will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency and conserve water in all new buildings.” http://www.bsc.ca.gov/prpsd_stds/default.htm