City Council -- with 2 members who run a 'green' insulation company -- says it will shoot to build to meet top 'green' rating

A “green” rating system for construction called LEED uses four standards, certified, silver, gold and platinum, and last night the City Council said its wants to seek the gold standard and strive for the top platinum standard as they rebuild or replace the city's flood-damaged buildings.

In September, the council set its sights lower when it suggested it would reach to at least meet a basic level of certification in a rating system such as LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED rating system was developed about 13 years ago by the U.S. Green Building Council.

City consultant David Dechant, vice president of HDR Engineering Inc., Marion, recommended to the council last night that it seek to achieve a gold LEED rating in instances in which it can secure an acceptable rate of return on its extra upfront costs that come with adding features to a project to to achieve the rating.

Council member Brian Fagan, who will be leaving the council in six weeks following his defeat in the mayoral race, said he wanted to see the city strive to achieve a platinum rating, a sentiment generally shared by other council members.

Dechant said one project built in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor, the ACT Operations Center in Iowa City, has achieved platinum status to date. He cited five others - the Rockwell Collins Engineering Building 130; AEGON USA's day care; Neumann Monson Architects, Iowa City; Iowa City Fire Station #2; and the Willowwind School, Iowa City - as having achieved the gold standard.

Council members Tom Podzimek -- he owns a “green” insulation firm along with council member Pat Shey, both of whom have said they are not opposed to bidding on city projects if they recuse themselves from voting on them -- and Kris Gulick said they thought it reasonable that the city try to achieve a return in energy savings or some other measure on a LEED-specific enhancement to a project within 10 years.

Council member Monica Vernon said she would like to hear architects on city projects think, “These guys are shooting high,” when they see requests for proposals with LEED requirements in them.

Podzimek and council member Chuck Wieneke agreed that the future increased cost of energy will make the pursuit of LEED standards even more critical while the increased energy costs will shorten the time it takes for the city to get its return on such investments.