Novato's Green Building Ordinance

RESIDENTIAL GREEN BUILDING ORDINANCE
INFORMATION SHEET
Effective date of Ordinance No. 1503 is October 26, 2005
Summary of Section 4-13 Novato Municipal Code.
Read Ordinance No. 1503 (pdf file)
COVERED PROJECTS:
1. New residential buildings, does not include multi family, assisted living facilities, senior housing or commercial facilities where rooms are rented for transient occupancy.
2. Major Renovations to existing residential buildings that:
a. Increases the square footage by 50 percent or greater or;
b. Removal of over 50 percent of the existing interior wall and or ceiling coverings to relocate or modify the existing floor plan.
STANDARD FOR COMPLIANCE:

New residential construction to meet a minimum of 50 Green Building Points with a minimum of 10 points in each category (Resources, Energy, Indoor Air Quality/Health) in the design and construction.
Major renovations to meet a minimum of 30 Green Building Points with a minimum of 5 points in each category (Resources, Energy, Indoor Air Quality/Health) in the design and construction.
SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTATION:
Form Required: A completed, City of Novato “New Homes Green Point Calculator” form showing the required number of Green Building Points.
(Download the Excel form & read instructions for completing the form.)
To Planning Division:
Submit completed “New Homes Green Point Calculator” form with applications for Design Review or any other planning approval.
To Building Division:
Submit completed “New Homes Green Point Calculator” form with first building permit plan set.
All building plans shall indicate in the general notes or on individual detail drawings, where feasible, the green point measures to be used to obtain the required points in each category.

HOW TO USE
NEW HOMES GREEN POINT CALCULATOR
FOR AUTO CALCULATION
You need EXCEL on your computer to fully use the New Homes Green Point Calculator.
1. SAVE the New Homes Green Point Calculator to your computer - you must have Excel software to use the calculator.
2. Read the description of work/materials on left column
3. In the INPUT column, enter the number that corresponds with your projects description in the left column if it meets the criteria. NOTE: There are only 7 places for numbers to be inserted, the rest are “yes” answers.
4. In the INPUT column, enter “Y” for yes only if your project meets the criteria described in the left column.
5. The auto calculation feature will credit the correct category (Resources, Energy, Indoor Air Quality/Health) and provide a total on last page.
6. Submit the form with your application.
FOR MANUAL CALCULATION
1. Display and PRINT the New Homes Green Point Calculator from the web site (pdf file).
2. Read the description of work/materials on left column
3. In the INPUT column, enter the number that corresponds with your projects description in the left column if it meets the criteria. NOTE: There are only 7 places for numbers to be inserted, the rest are “yes” answers.
4. In the INPUT column, enter “Y” for yes only if your project meets the criteria described in the left column.
5. Starting at top of page 1, enter the corresponding points in one of the three right columns (Resources, Energy, Indoor Air Quality/Health) NOTE: The available points for each subject matter, also provides the category designation.
6. Once the numbers have been entered into the three right columns, add each column up and enter the total for each column on the last page.
7. Submit the form with your application.
Back to Building Division Information, Forms & Applications Menu