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5 <br />environment, and innovation. There is currently no system for formal awards for <br />achieving levels of performance under the Guidelines. It is our understanding that <br />these Guidelines have been used in the design process for several new County <br />buildings. www.ncgreenbuildinq.orq <br />The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) `Energy Star' program was developed <br />to improve energy efficiency in homes and commercial construction. The program <br />focuses on using energy efficient appliances, better insulation techniques, and well- <br />designed heating and cooling systems. While `Energy Star' is not astand-alone green <br />building program, it is a component required by most green building programs <br />(www. e n e rg ysta r, go v) . <br />According to studies, The Costs and Financial Benefits of Green Building, performed for <br />the California Sustainable Building Task Force, which examined existing data <br />surrounding the costs and financial benefits of 33 LEED certified projects in California, <br />concluded that the average premium for all 33 studied green buildings is slightly less <br />than 2 percent ($3 to $5 per square foot). For buildings that obtained a LEED's <br />Certified (lowest level of LEED certification) level did so with little or no cost premium. <br />Based on information obtained from local homebuilders that are already building green <br />certified homes, the cost for building a home that is energy star compliant would range <br />between $1300 and $1,500. The additional cost to achieve a basic level of green <br />certification (e.g. Bronze level, NAHB Model Green Building Home Guide) fora 2,200 <br />s.f. home would be approximately $6,000 to $8,000, which does include energy star <br />certification. With a savings of 15 to 30 percent on energy bills these cost would be <br />recovered in a relatively short period of time. <br />D. Local application <br />Utilizing appropriate portions of these green building programs, the following aspects of <br />site development can be addressed through enhancements to existing County land <br />development regulations. The following include a short narrative listing the rationale for <br />addressing each issue. <br />1) Green building incorporates environmental considerations into every <br />phase of the building process. During the design, construction, and <br />operation of a home or building, energy and water efficiency, lot <br />development, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor <br />environmental quality, building maintenance, and the building's overall <br />impact on the environment are all taken into account. <br />The benefits from using green building guidelines are lower operating <br />cost, increased comfort, improved environmental quality, and enhanced <br />durability, less maintenance and overall less environmental impact <br />through system operations and product selection. <br />