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Building Practices

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Buildings are responsible for almost 70% of California's electricity usage and 30% of Walnut Creek's greenhouse gas emissions. We are committed to better building practices that put our community’s health first while saving energy and money with innovative and thoughtful methods. 

Green Building Codes & Standards

Refer to the building codes section of the website to learn more about electric vehicle charging infrastructure requirements, construction and debris recycling ordinances, water-conserving plumbing fixture requirements, and city planning/building requirements. For detailed information on the California Green Building Standards Code and other state-specific regulations, please visit the California Energy Commission's website. 

Resources for Zero Net Energy (ZNE) Buildings

Buildings are major emitters of greenhouse gases, accounting for 25% of California's greenhouse gas emissions. Zero net energy (ZNE) buildings are an innovative approach in construction and design that reduces energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. A ZNE building produces as much energy as it consumes through clean, renewable resources over the course of a year and offers additional benefits such as increasing occupants' comfort and potentially higher resale values. 

California has set goals for new residential construction to be ZNE in 2020 and new commercial construction to be ZNE in 2030. For a general introduction and guidelines for ZNE, check out the following resources:

Additional Green Building Resources

  • Build It Green is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote building green.

  • LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is a green building certification program through the U.S. Green Building Council that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.

  • The Bay Area Regional Energy Network's Codes and Standards program is a joint effort of Bay Area cities and counties to achieve full compliance with the California Energy Code and provides resources on energy and green building codes.