Construction projects in Austin, Texas that are larger than 5,000 sf are now required to recycle or salvage at least half of their refuse.
The new ordinance is expected to divert at least 76,000 tons of material from landfills. Another ordinance will mandate that demolition sites recycle beginning in 2019. About 1,500 projects that would now fall under the mandate had generated about 152,000 tons of concrete, metal, lumber, and other waste in 2014-2015.
The city estimates the ordinance will increase construction costs by 0.1% to 0.2%. Companies working on large projects will have to submit reports on the quantity of materials they recycle or salvage. Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor for noncompliance and pay a $500 fine.
City lawmakers developed the ordinance to forward Austin’s goal of diverting 95% of all waste from landfills by 2040. About 20% of the city’s waste is from construction and demolition materials.
Related Stories
| Aug 6, 2013
Australia’s first net zero office building features distinctive pixelated façade
Australia's first carbon neutral office building, featuring a distinctive pixelated façade, recently opened in Melbourne.
| Aug 2, 2013
Design of world’s tallest wood skyscraper would be more sustainable than steel alternative
Architecture firm C. F. Møller has proposed building the tallest wooden building in the world in Stockholm, Sweden.
| Jul 26, 2013
LEED V4 includes controversial cradle-to-cradle materials provision
Cradle to Cradle certification, a strict assessment of the environmental qualities of materials used in green buildings, is a controversial provision in LEED V4.
| Jul 17, 2013
CBRE recognizes nation's best green research projects
A rating system for comparative tenant energy use and a detailed evaluation of Energy Star energy management strategies are among the green research projects to be honored by commercial real estate giant CBRE Group.
| Jul 10, 2013
TED talk: Architect Michael Green on why we should build tomorrow's skyscrapers out of wood
In a newly posted TED talk, wood skyscraper expert Michael Green makes the case for building the next-generation of mid- and high-rise buildings out of wood.
| Jul 2, 2013
LEED v4 gets green light, will launch this fall
The U.S. Green Building Council membership has voted to adopt LEED v4, the next update to the world’s premier green building rating system.
| Jun 28, 2013
Calculating the ROI of building enclosure commissioning
A researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory calls building enclosure commissioning “the single-most cost-effective strategy for reducing energy, costs, and greenhouse gas emissions in buildings today.”
| Jun 19, 2013
Florida is latest battleground over LEED standards centered on certified wood
A nationwide battle over forest certification standards continues to be played out nationally and in Florida with legislation passed this month.
| Jun 17, 2013
DOE launches database on energy performance of 60,000 buildings
The Energy Department today launched a new Buildings Performance Database, the largest free, publicly available database of residential and commercial building energy performance information.
| Jun 5, 2013
USGBC: Free LEED certification for projects in new markets
In an effort to accelerate sustainable development around the world, the U.S. Green Building Council is offering free LEED certification to the first projects to certify in the 112 countries where LEED has yet to take root.
