Achieving Sustainability in the Built Environment

Cities throughout Minnesota seek to improve public health, environmental justice, and environmental and economic sustainability. Many cities are taking advantage of building-related strategies to reduce carbon emissions and waste, protect natural resources, and mitigate stormwater runoff. With a sustainable building policy, cities can use public financing and their authority over land use to make meaningful progress toward achieving their sustainability goals.

Leveraging financial incentives and authority over land use, a sustainable building policy establishes minimum sustainability criteria that go beyond existing state code for new construction and redevelopment. Included sustainability criteria typically target reducing pollution and conserving resources. This policy would be voluntary for developments not seeking financial incentives or land use changes.

What are the Benefits?

• Ensures new construction is on the forefront of efficient building construction.
• Improves Edina’s building stock with healthy and sustainable buildings.
• Creates demand for sustainability in the property market.
• Supports Edina’s goal to reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050.

Proposed Framework

The proposed sustainable building policy would apply to new construction and redevelopment projects that receive public financing and planned unit development approval. The policy would be structured to give developers the power to choose their preferred third-party rating system based on building type as well as their expertise and experience. The policy would also include additional sustainability requirements for electric vehicle charging and predicted greenhouse gas emissions to help the City meet its carbon reduction goals.

Resources through Hennepin County

Hennepin County Efficient Buildings Collaborative provides cities with a platform of shared resources to lower costs and exchange best practices. The County is currently undergoing a competitive RFP process to hire a vendor to provide education, technical resources, and compliance assistance. Upon policy passage and joint powers agreement approval, the City of Edina and developers will have access to the selected vendor. It is important to the City that the appropriate technical resources are available for successful sustainable building construction.

Joining Sustainability and Climate Leaders

Edina will be joining six cities with a formal sustainable building policy, along with another that is in the process of creating its own policy. The Cities of Saint Paul and St. Louis Park have been implementing their policies for more than 10 years, providing multiple local examples of successful policy implementation.

Proposed Policy Details

Policy Triggers

Projects that receive the following incentives would “trigger” or necessitate compliance of the policy:

• Planned Unit Developments (PUD)
• Housing & Redevelopment Funds
• Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
• Metropolitan Council Livable Communities Act
• Housing Improvement Area and Affordable Housing Trust Fund
• Conduit Bonds

Sustainable Rating Systems

Developers would select from the following third-party rating systems to adhere to the policy:

• LEED
• B3 Guidelines
• Green Star Homes
• Green Communities
• Park Smart

Edina Overlay

Developers would also be subject to an Edina-specific Overlay, which aligns with established goals.

• Electric vehicle charging
• Predicted greenhouse gas emissions

Timing

City Council will receive the proposed policy in Fall 2021; the policy is expected to come into effect in mid-2022.