SLO County News BlogGolf, Wine, Real Estate, Business & Travel NewsArroyo Grande now Arroyo GreendeWednesday, July 06, 2005The next time Arroyo Grande undertakes a building project, it will consider "green" alternatives. It's the first city in the county to formally agree to do so; it likely won't be the last.SLO Green Build, a nonprofit promoting environmentally friendly building, has been lobbying the county and its seven cities to adopt green principles, and it's getting considerable interest. In Arroyo Grande, the city will now consider such things as designing buildings to use less water and electricity, using fewer toxic building materials, and recycling "gray" water -- water that has been used in sinks and showers but not toilets -- for landscaping. It will encourage private developers to do the same, though neither face any requirements. The green building movement has been spreading across the country -- and locally. The new county building at Monterey and Santa Rosa streets in San Luis Obispo incorporates elements of the concept, as do buildings built by Habitat for Humanity and other nonprofit groups. The Botanical Garden and Educational Center, in El Chorro Regional Park on Highway 1 between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, will be the first building in the county to adhere to a national program certifying green building. When finished, it will have a raised floor to cool the air and employ energy-saving strategies. The San Luis Obispo planning commission is considering adopting green building principles in its long-term planning and recommendations on individual projects. Arroyo Grande entered a $2,000, five-year contract under which Green Build will conduct workshops for city employees. And the city agreed to consider and encourage green alternatives, something Green Build hopes other cities in the area will do as well. Even the private sector is interested in green. Jerry Bunin, government affairs director of the Home Builders Association of the Central Coast, said builders already incorporate some of SLO Green Build's recommended principles. But with the cost of housing already high, the organization is wary of anything that might become mandatory or that "adds unnecessarily to the cost," Bunin said. If they make it mandatory to have solar housing, for example, he said, it could make houses even more unaffordable. County Supervisor Jim Patterson, a green supporter, concedes that the problem with green alternatives is the up-front money. It's a smart investment in the long run, he said, but it takes an initial outlay that is beyond the reach of some people. SLO Green Build's Mikal Robertson is aware of the builders' concerns and says governments should provide incentives for them to build green, such as an expedited permit process, reduction in permit costs, even public relations help in promoting green homes. SLO Green Build - San Luis Obispo Green Building Program AG first in county to think green The Tribune, Bob Cuddy To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. Read More
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