WEST HOLLYWOOD—The West Hollywood City Council unanimously passed the first mandatory Green Building Program in the nation on Monday, July 16. The Green Building program will make it necessary for all residential and commercial buildings in the city to be built following certain environmental and energy codes in addition to the current safety building requirements already in place.

The new codes will be added to the city’s Zoning Ordinance and will set the bar for plumbing and landscaping as well as enforcing water and energy conservation. The new program will also enforce these new standards on all existing buildings in the city, when renovation in needed or desired.

“West Hollywood is moving in a direction that many if not most cities will be going within the next few years,” West Hollywood Mayor Pro Tempore Jeffrey Prang said. Prang added that though the Green Buildings may be more expensive to build, they will save money and be less expensive as time goes on.

Also included in the program are various incentives to builders and building owners who go above the minimum requirements and meet an exemplary status.

Incorporated in 1984, the city of West Hollywood has a long history of environmental programs in place including the Food Waste Recycling Program, the Green Rooftops Program, and just last year the city joined the California Climate Action Registry.

Council member Abbe Land spearheaded the Green Building Program, but was unavailable for comment.

Now that the program has been approved by the City Council, it will take effect in 30 days from the approval date. Prang also stated that it is in fact the cities who establish the policies for the states, and that the city of West Hollywood will continue in its efforts to help make California a greener place to live.

-