By Daily Press staff
City Hall is launching a two-part grant program to promote green building in the private sector.
Green buildings are healthier, more energy efficient, and easier on the environment than standard buildings, officials said. City Hall’s goal is to have every building in the city incorporate those qualities.
The first grant under the program promotes the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by offering financial incentives for new private sector buildings that are built using the LEED standard. Grant amounts are based on the level of certification attained under the standard.
All new construction and major renovation in commercial, affordable housing, mixed use, and multi-family residential that register for LEED certification are eligible to apply.
In the interest of promoting the adoption of new technologies designed to reduce the environmental impact of buildings, City Hall also will be offering innovative technology grants for both energy-efficient systems and urban-runoff mitigation measures.The grants will cover 50 percent of the cost of eligible systems up to a maximum of $5,000. Innovative technology grants are available for all building types, including commercial, affordable housing, mixed use, and single-and multi-family residential in both new and retrofit applications.
For more information about program eligibility and details about the grant programs, go to http://greenbuildings.santa-monica.org/mainpages/whatsnew.htm. For more information about U.S. Green Building Council or LEED, go to www.usgbc.org.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 26, 2004. Read the original PDF.