February 05, 2010
Mayor Pushes for LEED Buildings
CHATTANOOGA (WRCB) -- Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield said all future buildings that belong to the City must meet LEED certification standards. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
Supporters of LEED certification say that while the buildings can be more expensive up front they save money and are better for the environment in the long run.
Channel 3 Eyewitness News wanted to know the initial cost to the taxpayer.
Six buildings in Chattanooga are LEED certified with another 21 in the works.
Businesses we spoke with say they can actually be cheaper to build and maintain and could end up saving taxpayers money.
This building uses less power, fewer resources, and can be cheaper to build by using previously used materials. River Street Architecture was the first building to earn LEED certification in Chattanooga. Developer Matt McGauley says it was designed to save energy.
The key is to use what you have.
"If you plan up front in a smart way and put your dollars into areas where you can get your greater benefit and quicker payback," said McGauley.
Since moving into the building, River Street Project Manger Blythe Bailey has already noticed a difference in the cost.
"This space is twice as big as our previous office but uses the same amount of energy so we spend essentially half per square foot on electrical bills than we used to spend," said Bailey.
Environmentally friendly buildings are a top priority for Mayor Littlefield.
"It's just like buying an energy star appliance, the overall carrying cost, the maintenance costs less. Taxpayer dollars will be well served," said Mayor Littlefield.
Jeff Cannon is the co-director of Green Spaces in Chattanooga, one of the six LEED certified buildings in the city. He says it's a win-win for businesses and the city.
"Even if we say ok we're gonna spend a dollar more to build a building but it's gonna save us $10 taxpayers should really rejoice in that," said Cannon.
"There is an up front cost but there's also a payback," said McGauley.
The best way to keep building costs down is to work with contractors and use resources well. We also asked the Mayor if federal funds would help pay for LEED Certified buildings and he said they wouldn't. Local tax dollars will fund new construction and will apparently save taxpayers money in the long run.