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6 <br />2) Site planning. To protect environmentally sensitive sites do not build <br />structures, roads, or parking areas on portions of sites that meet any or <br />of the following criteria: floodplains, rare or endangered species habitat, <br />within one hundred feet of a wetland, parkland, or prime farmland. Green <br />homes should be built in locations that are safe for inhabitants and the <br />surrounding community, both human and ecological, and should not <br />contribute to the degradation or loss of our agricultural and natural <br />resource lands. Avoid building on sites that are environmentally sensitive <br />or precious resources. <br />Construction recycling. The reduction of waste generation level should be <br />below the industry norm. Waste management planning, which <br />investigates and documents local options for diversion of all anticipated <br />major constituents of the project waste stream and document rate of <br />diversion, record diversion rate for land clearing and/or demolition. Waste <br />reduction diverts waste generated from new construction activities from <br />landfills and incinerators. Because landfill space is rapidly diminishing, <br />incineration produces pollutants, and waste of materials in itself carries <br />negative environmental impacts, waste should be avoided to the extent <br />possible. <br />The National Association of Home Builders has collected data nationally <br />and estimates that the construction of a typical 2,000 square foot home <br />generates about 8,000 pounds of waste,'occupying roughly 51 cubic yards <br />of landfill space. This equates to an average of about four (4) pounds of <br />waste per square foot of conditioned space. <br />Landscaping and irrigation standards. Water reuse offsets central water <br />supply through the capture and controlled reuse of rainwater and/or grey <br />water. Rainwater harvesting systems collect and store rainwater for <br />landscape irrigation use or indoor water use. Grey water recycling <br />systems collect water from designated plumbing fixtures to be treated and <br />re-used. <br />Install high efficiency irrigation systems with the following features: central <br />shut-off valve, sub-meters for the irrigation system, at least half of the <br />planting beds have a drip irrigation system to minimize evaporation, turf <br />and each type of bedding area should be separately zoned, a timer and <br />controller system, pressure regulating devises, high efficiency nozzles, <br />check valves in heads, and moisture sensor or rain delay controller. <br />