Green Building

What is 'Green Building'?

The term 'green building' is generally used to refer to the practice of using building materials and techniques to create buildings that are environmentally responsible and promote profitable, healthy places to live and work.

City Programs

The City of Arroyo Grande does not have any green building programs in place at this time; however, the City was the first in the County to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SLO Green Build (more information below). Additionally, City Council Members and city staff, along with representatives of Grover Beach and Pismo Beach attended the "South County's 2030 Challenge" to learn more about the role of planning and building techniques in energy use and demand. In the coming months, the city will be exploring the possible implementation of green building-related programs through the process of updating the Agriculture, Conservation and Open Space Element of the General Plan.

Green Building Guidelines & Checklists

If you are interested in green building and wish to learn how you can apply green building practices to your building project, please refer to the following documents:

• New Residential Construction Guidelines
• New Residential Construction Checklist
• Residential Remodel Guidelines
• Residential Remodel Checklist
• Multi-Family Construction Guidelines
• Multi-Family Construction Checklist

SLO Green Build

SLO Green build is a local non-profit group consisting of planners, architects, builders and concerned citizens whose mission is:

• To promote sustainable building techniques that minimize construction waste, build healthier indoor environments, and reduce energy use while conserving natural resources;
• To provide architects, engineers, contractors, developers, and other building professionals with the proper tools to build sustainable projects; and
• To support and help develop public policy which advocates for sustainable architectural, social, and building practices.

SLO Green Build offers a peer-review meeting once a month where members of the public can have their plans reviewed by professionals with green building experience to identify ways in which the project can implement green building practices. These meetings are free of charge, but space is limited and appointments are recommended. Feel free to bring along your checklist, although it is not necessary to have one completed prior to the meeting. For more information, please visit the SLO Green Build website: http://www.slogreenbuild.org or send an e-mail to: peer-review@slogreenbuild.org

More Information

More information regarding green building can be found in the Building Department (informational kiosk) and on the following websites:

• US Green Building Council
• StopWaste.Org
• Build It Green
• 2030 Challenge