Buildings designed to be "green" are a priority for Commerce City building department, and we would like to do our best to encourage their construction in the city. Green buildings are good for the environment and have been shown to reduce energy costs and increase productivity and sales. The U.S. Green Building Council, leaders in green building movement, rate buildings using LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) criteria. LEED ratings begin a Certified and graduate to Silver, Gold and Platinum based on the green features implemented in a building's design. According to research from the University of Notre Dame, productivity per employee at LEED-certified bank branches increased by $461,300 in sales per employee per year compared to non-LEED certified locations.

To be designated a green building, your design must meet one of the codes, standards and/or levels listed below. If your project qualifies, you will receive priority building plan review which allows you to "skip the queue" and go directly to building plans examiner assignment once the application's Gateway Review is approved. A green building designation also provides you with pre-submission or post-review conferences if desired. Email the Commerce City building department to request your conference.

Qualifying Project Types

Green building initiates apply to the following projects:

• New commercial buildings
• New commercial additions
• New residential buildings
• Tenant improvements to existing commercial buildings

Qualifying Codes and Standards

The following standards and the levels indicated are the qualifying criteria to be designated green by the Commerce City building department.

• LEED Silver or better by the U.S. Green Building Council
• WELL Bronze or better by the International Well Building Institute
• Affordable housing designed in accordance with Enterprise Green Communities
• EarthCraft by Southface
• Three Green Globes or better by the Green Building Initiative
• Designed in accordance with the International Green Construction Code
• Bronze or better by the National Green Building Standard
• Zero Passive Building designation from Phius
• Living Building Challenge or Zero Energy Building certifications from the International Living Future Institute
• Zero Energy Ready Home by the U.S. Department of Energy

Permit Application Process

During the permit application process using eTRAKiT, indicate your project is designated as "green" and choose one of the qualifying code/standard. Your submission must also include documents verifying the design and construction will meet the standard in order to have obtain an approved Gateway Review.

Other Programs

The city also encourages builders to construct buildings that are solar- and electric vehicle-ready. In some cases, solar-ready is already a requirement of the building code. Rebates and no-loan financing is available through utility and state programs such as C-PACE listed here. For tenant improvement projects, applicants can qualify for a free energy, water and design assessments under the state’s new Green Business Network.

LEEDing By Example

Given the costs savings of sustainable building, city organizations will be adopting a LEED Silver or equivalent for all new city buildings and remodels over 50,000 square feet. Cities across the nation are adopting LEED standards to reduce costs and lower environmental impact.