A POLICY REGARDING THE USE OF “LEED” BUILDING

STANDARDS FOR MANSFIELD BUILDINGS

 

WHEREAS, the Town of Mansfield is dedicated to the mutually compatible goals of energy efficiency, environmental protection, and economic growth; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Mansfield is dedicated to the environmental health and safety of its employees, and to efficient and effective work environments; and

WHEREAS, municipal government should assume a leadership role in promoting the efficient use of energy and natural resources in the interests of the long-term protection and enhancement of our environment, our economy, and the health of our citizens and future generations; and

WHEREAS, this Town enjoys a unique and timely opportunity to design, construct, and renovate buildings for the 21st century that will be adequate to serve the needs of our citizens and employees for years to come and that will incorporate a building’s life cycle and reduced operating costs; and

WHEREAS, the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a voluntary, consensus-based, market-driven green building rating system for new and existing commercial and institutional buildings used to determine what constitutes sustainable building by national standards; and

WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the people of Mansfield that all municipal buildings constructed, expanded, or renovated shall be modern facilities of the 21st century, combining the most energy-efficient design, the most environmentally sustainable systems, and maximum access and benefit to employees and the public.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

It shall be the policy of the Town of Mansfield to finance, plan, design, construct, manage, renovate, maintain and decommission its facilities and buildings to be sustainable. Town staff and its architects and building committees are hereby directed to use the most recent version of LEED certification standards as a benchmark to achieve maximum energy efficiency and environmental sustainability relevant to the scope of the new construction or major renovation, unless this cannot be accomplished on a cost-effective basis, considering construction and operating costs over the life cycle of the building being constructed, expanded or renovated. All facilities and buildings are encouraged to use higher LEED rating levels, if feasible.

All municipal department heads whose responsibilities include planning, designing, constructing or renovating Town-owned facilities shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy.

Certified a true copy of a resolution adopted by the Town of Mansfield at a meeting of its Town Council on October 25, 2004, and which resolution has not been rescinded or modified in any way.