Building Code Board of Appeals Minutes 2008 03 20

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Building Code Board of Appeals Minutes March 20, 2008 Page 2 of 5 reading an email from Bob Van Pelt, who is absent tonight on vacation. In the email, Bob Van Pelt expresses some of his thoughts & opinions on the Green Built Program. Mike Jones summarizes Bob Van Pelt's opinion to suggest that the Board goes with some sort of a mid-range Green Built program. Mike directs the Board to the spreadsheet of National Program Examples. Mike points out some of the confusion there is in the many choices of programs available. Tom Meyers of Colorado Code Consulting, will be asked to come to the June 24t" meeting to talk about the options to consider for Built Green programs. International Code Council (ICC) is waiting to see what the national program for Built Green will be. Policy Direction -Mike Jones explains that one of the Green Built choices is the HERS program. He displays a book that is here and available for the Board to look through: Book I - is the Field Diagnostics and Book II - is the Acceptance Programs. These are the two HERS options. Basically, the lower the score (from a percentage under 100 %) the more energy efficient the home. Boulder's program has the ratio number at 55%. This is nearly impossible to do according to Bill Eckert (Coast to Coast Builder Consulting) because the current home products cannot be built for a profit at today's prices. These HERS scores are based on square footage and used as a no growth tool. At this point, no builder has met the Boulder standards to date. Mike seeks the direction of the Board this evening so that he can submit a proposal to the upcoming June 24t" work session with City Council. Peter Geise says Boulder has gone too far. Until our City Council gives us funds to hire someone to do a Built Green program, then we wait. Mike Jones states that the City of Boulder is using the HERS program plus some of their own mandated stipulations. It is literally two pieces of paper from E- Star/HERS program. Six employees are hired specifically for implementing the Boulder program. Rex Olson asks when will the HERS program "hang" the building project? Will it be at the beginning, middle or the end CO (Certificate of Occupancy)? We just don't know where the delays will be in the building projects. Mike Jones says we have to find out what is the motivation of Green Building; green building vs. energy efficiency vs. natural construction, or what? What do you, the Board, think is important? Ron LoSasso says that Built Green seems like it is a program to follow standards to regulate the contractors. It is important to remember that buyers in today's market are looking for the "cheaper chicken" house. Affordable housing in Louisville does not exist. Built Green will be adding costs up to $1000 per home.