A new Miami Beach, Fla., law requires builders of structures larger than 7,000 sf to either meet certain green building standards or pay a fee of 5% of construction costs.
The legislation is linked to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with the city highly vulnerable to rising sea levels due to climate change. The law went into effect on April 1.
The 5% fee for a 7,000 sf house would be $87,500, at $250 for each square foot—a typical cost of a new home in Miami-Dade County. To avoid paying a fee, builders must achieve a LEED Gold rating or better.
Upfront costs may be greater for commercial and residential buildings that have solar panels, wind turbines, and specialized air conditioning and rainwater-harvesting systems. The law’s proponents point out opportunities for savings over the long term by building greener from using longer-lasting materials, less maintenance requirements, and energy and water savings.
Related Stories
Green | Jun 8, 2015
Maryland tech firm is developing spray-on solar panels for windows
Made primarily out of hydrogen and carbon, the coating can turn see-through surfaces into solar panels.
Green | Jun 8, 2015
Diamond Schmitt Architects creates tool to compare energy use data across building types
The firm's new ecoMetrics tool allows for a comprehensive analysis of data from energy simulation models across a wide range of the company’s building types.
Multifamily Housing | May 30, 2015
Energy Department releases resources to assess building energy benchmarking policies, programs
The new handbook demonstrates methodologies using real data from New York City.
Cultural Facilities | May 13, 2015
MVRDV selected to design High Line-inspired park in Seoul
The garden will be organized as a library of plants, which will make the park easier to navigate.
Green | May 5, 2015
Top three 2030 Challenge trends
The growth of IPD is among the key takeaways from the USGBC Region 7 Conference.
Wood | Apr 26, 2015
Building wood towers: How high is up for timber structures?
The recent push for larger and taller wood structures may seem like an architectural fad. But Building Teams around the world are starting to use more large-scale structural wood systems.
Green | Apr 23, 2015
3 sustainable projects take top prize in 2015 Global Holcim Awards
Projects from Colombia, Sri Lanka, and the U.S. were chosen by the Holcim Foundation for the impact the projects have on their local communities.
Codes and Standards | Apr 22, 2015
GBCI renamed Green Business Certification Inc.
The name change reflects the organization’s expanded certification and credentialing services.
Green | Apr 22, 2015
AIA Committee on the Environment recognizes Top 10 Green Projects
Seattle's Bullitt Center and the University Center at The New School are among AIA's top 10 green buildings for 2015.
Green | Apr 22, 2015
GSA's Federal Center South Building honored with AIA Top Ten Plus Award for 'verified' sustainable performance
The annual award recognizes green building projects that have quantifiable metrics demonstrating the performance and positive impact of the sustainable design.
