Suzanne Emerson of Emerson Environmental is certified to perform GreenPoint Ratings on new residential construction, major remodels, and existing homes. 

For information about the GreenPoint Rating program for new construction and major remodels, see GreenPoint Rated New Construction.  For information about the new rating program for minor remodels and for existing homes, see GreenPoint Rated Existing Homes. 

For pricing and availability of GreenPoint Rating services, please contact us. 

Below is information on local Green Building ordinances that require or provide incentives for using the GreenPoint Rating system, as well as incentive information for Green Building measures.

Belmont

Burlingame

Hillsborough

Los Altos

Palo Alto

Redwood City

San Mateo County (Unincorporated Areas)

City of San Mateo

Santa Clara County (Unincorporated Areas)

Additional local municipalities developing Green Building ordinances include Foster City and Pacifica.

Belmont (voluntary until May 2011, then mandatory)

Belmont's green building ordinance is voluntary until May of 2011, when it becomes mandatory.  It requires new residences and residential alterations adding 400 square feet or greater to obtain 70 GreenPoints and be verified by a GreenPoint Rater.  Smaller projects will be reviewed and inspected by the building department. 

Burlingame (NEW mandatory)

Starting 1/1/2011, Burlingame's green building ordinance requires any residential project with a construction value of $50,000 or greater to obtain a GreenPoint Rating, LEED Certification, or other recognized green building certification. 

Hillsborough (mandatory)

Hillsborough Green Building links page, Ordinance (April, 2009)

Hillsborough requirements: The Town requires that applicants for new construction and major remodel permits complete a GreenPoints Checklist.  The minimum number of points varies from 10 to 150 points depending on type and size of project. 

A builder need not hire a GreenPoint Rater, but will be expected to collect and provide to the Town documentation of compliance with checklist elements.  Payment of the Town's Green Building Monitoring Fee may be avoided by utilizing the services of a GreenPoint Rater to document compliance with checklist elements.

Los Altos (mandatory)

Los Altos Green Building ordinance

Los Altos ordinance excerpt:

New single-family and multiple-family houses, and additions of 50 percent or greater to main structures excluding basements:

o Prior to building permit issuance, provide verification that the house is designed with a GreenPoint Rating of 50 points or more; and

o Prior to final inspection, provide verification that the house was built in compliance with the GreenPoint Rated approval.

Build It Green's Position on Applicable Checklist for Remodels:

“Build It Green previously allowed gut remodels to be submitted under GreenPoint Rated New Home. With the release of GreenPoint Rated Existing Home, this rating system is more appropriate for gut remodels than New Home. A gut remodel is defined as an existing home where 90% of the home is stripped down to the studs. If an existing home is undergoing a gut remodel, the home may participate in GreenPoint Rated Existing Home and should be evaluated using the GreenPoint Rated module in EnergyPro using the current vintage (i.e. currently 2005) and not the original year the home was built.”  Build It Green, GreenPoint Rater e-News, “New Policy for Rating Gut Remodels” (Sept. 3, 2008).

Palo Alto (mandatory)

Palo Alto Green Building links page, Palo Alto ordinance

Palo Alto ordinance chart; chart excerpt:

Redwood City (mandatory)

Redwood City's green building ordinance requires new single-family residential construction and remodels of between 1,000 - 10,000 square feet to complete a GreenPoint or LEED checklist indicating at least the minimum number of points, and by project completion requires a Certified Green Building Professional or project architect, designer, builder, or building inspector to self-certify that the project complies with the minimum number of points.  For residences of 10,000 square feet or larger, a GreenPoint rating through a GreenPoint Rater would be required.  LEED certification is also an option.

San Mateo County (Unincorporated Areas) (mandatory)

San Mateo ordinance excerpts:

San Mateo ordinance (Ord. No. 0444, Oct. 7, 2008), San Mateo Green Building links page

Build It Green's Position on Applicable Checklist for Remodels: although a remodel would generally be required by Build It Green to use the Existing Homes checklist, because a 50% or larger remodel in unincorporated San Mateo County is required to be built up to current codes, Build It Green will allow these projects to use the New Homes checklist.

Santa Clara County (Unincorporated Areas) (mandatory)

In unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County, new homes and rebuilds of 1201 - 3000 square feet are required to obtain 50 points through the GreenPoint Rating system, or LEED certification.  For new homes and rebuilds greater than 3000 square feet, projects are required to attain 50 points plus one point per additional 100 square feet beyond 3000 square feet.

Santa Clara County green building page, green building brochure, and ordinance (Ord. No. NS-1100.105, 12-16-08).

City of San Mateo (mandatory)

The City of San Mateo green building ordinance requires new single-family residential construction, and remodels valued at $100,000 or greater, to submit with their permit application a GreenPoint checklist prepared by a GreenPoint Rater, indicating a certain minimum number of points, and by project completion requires the Rater submit verification that the project complies with the minimum number of points.  Project may, but are not required to, seek a formal GreenPoint Rating.