City of Charlotte - Green Building Policy for Municipal Buildings

The City of Charlotte's Sustainable Facilities Policy requires that all new City-owned and City-managed construction and major renovation projects achieve LEED/Global Greens certification and, where applicable, achieve Designed to Earn ENERGY STAR Certification. Additionally, all City-owned and City-managed buildings greater than 5,000 sq. ft. are required to benchmark their energy use intensity. The Sustainable Facilities Policy also prohibits the usage of various personal-type appliances in spaces designated as "common areas." In April 2024, the Charlotte City council adopted the following changes to the Sustainable Facilities Policy:New ConstructionsRequires all new facilities to be all-electric except for back-up generationUtilize geothermal systems for HVACRequires building automation systemsRequires smart surfaces to reduce energy and heat (cool pavement and roofs)Requires feasibility analysis to determine if building a net-zero building is possibleNew Construction & Major RenovationsEncourages the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) environmental life cycle assessmentStrengthens and expands on-site solar renewable energyScopes energy storage systems (e.g., battery) to maximize solar energyFor facilities that meet the bicycle network requirement, new construction will pursue LEED Bicycle facility credit, which supports mode-shift and includes bicycle storageRequires a periodic analysis for HVAC replacement projects to determine if electrification of systems can occur