Building and Construction |
The built environment can be a great asset for the viability of the community. Site design, building materials, and special attention to utilizing or conserving our resources where appropriate have a lasting effect on the health of our community. Below are environmental City codes and policies related to building, incentives that encourage sustainable building designs, and resources and programs to facilitate “green building”. |
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Environmental Codes and Policies
This plan was developed by Tucson Water in compliance with HB2277 passed by the Arizona State Legislature in 2005 requiring all Arizona water providers to develop a drought preparedness and response plan. Because Tucson Water supplies water from the Colorado River (CAP), the criteria for declaring different stages of drought do not only consider local conditions, but also conditions affecting the Colorado River. Requires the installation of gray water “stub-outs” in all new residential construction beginning on June 1, 2010. The City amended the 2006 International Residential Building Code to include Section R614: Earthen Wall Structures. This section of the Code begins on page 3 of the amendments. A full copy of the International Residential Code is available in the City Clerk’s Office. Mayor and Council adopted this code with amendments on June 12, 2007. The provisions of this code seek to maximize energy efficiency. A full copy of the Code is available in the City Clerk’s Office in Chapter 6, sec. 6-40 of the Tucson Code. 2.8.1 HILLSIDE DEVELOPMENT ZONE (HDZ) 2.8.2 SCENIC CORRIDOR ZONE (SCZ) 2.8.3 MAJOR STREETS AND ROUTES (MS&R) SETBACK ZONE 2.8.4 GATEWAY CORRIDOR ZONE 2.8.5 AIRPORT ENVIRONS ZONE (AEZ) 2.8.6 ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE ZONE (ERZ) 2.8.8 "H" HISTORIC PRESERVATION ZONE (HPZ) 2.8.9 DRACHMAN SCHOOL OVERLAY (DSO) ZONE 2.8.10 RIO NUEVO AND DOWNTOWN (RND) ZONE | |
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The Solar Fee Credit Incentive will credit (or waive) a portion or all permit fees on a new building or when retrofitting existing buildings with a qualifying solar energy system. The program will credit the amount paid by an applicant for a building permit up to a maximum of $1,000 for the installation of a qualifying solar energy system or the actual amount of the permit fee, whichever is less. Impact Fee’s and Plan Check Fee’s will remain the same. If additional credits are not allocated, the program is set to expire once the funds are depleted or by January 1, 2008, whichever comes first. The state of Arizona offers a solar tax credit for 25% of the cost of an approved solar device or system. The maximum allowable credit is $1,000 to be carried forward up to five years: it is deducted directly from state taxes owed. The state of Arizona offers a tax credit for 25% of the cost of the installation of a grey water conservation system. The maximum allowable credit is $1,000 to be carried forward up to five years: it is deducted directly from state taxes owed. The tax credits are available through 2011. One stop informational hub for federal tax credits and IRS forms available for: • Consumers- home improvements, cars, solar energy systems, fuel cells • Home Builders • Appliance Manufacturers • Commercial Buildings
Building from the Best educates citizens about planning and design policies; works with professionals to promote quality projects; recommends policy to local officials; and honors design and development that respect the area’s environment and character. |
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Workshops that teach drip irrigation, irrigation timer use, principles of xeriscaping, and harvesting water for landscape use. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. The Guarantee program is a new home program utilizing the systems approach to home construction. The systems approach deals with health and safety, comfort, durability and energy efficiency. The Energy Efficient Mortgages Program (EEM) helps homebuyers or homeowners save money on utility bills by enabling them to finance the cost of adding energy-efficiency features to new or existing housing as part of their FHA-insured home purchase or refinancing mortgage. Under its environmental initiative, Bank of America will emphasize the business opportunities created by "green" economic growth by providing critical financing to encourage the development of environmentally sustainable products and technology; accelerate the deployment of existing technology; and increase energy efficiency. |
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There are two types of energy-efficient mortgages (EEMs): one for a new home and one for an existing home. With an EEM, you can purchase or refinance a home that is already energy efficient, or you can purchase or refinance a home that will become energy efficient after energy-saving improvements are made. Most energy-efficient financing programs offer both types of EEMs, as well as home-improvement loans for making energy-efficiency upgrades to your existing home. The Green Guide for Rehab is an in-depth tool to help affordable housing owners and their consultants integrate green building and energy efficiency into the upgrades of their multifamily properties. Provides information designed to help building-industry professionals and policy makers improve the environmental performance, and reduce the adverse impacts, of buildings, such as design strategies and product guides. This website focuses on the site planning concepts presented in Connecticut's own Stormwater Quality Manual. The Planning for Stormwater website also provides site specific review considerations for Low Impact Design in both residential and commercial settings. |
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