Austin has a style all its own: part Texas individualism, part 60's idealism, part willingness to embrace hi-tech, and a love of things simple and common sense. Located in the heart of the state, we rest at a historic cultural crossroads. Around us are rolling hills and azure lakes and rivers; below us, one of the country's most pristine aquifers.
It was in this environment that some forward thinking individuals created what would become Austin Energy Green Building, the country's first comprehensive program designed to encourage using sustainable building techniques in residential, multi-family, commercial, and municipal construction. Sustainability means meeting our present needs without compromising the needs of future generations. More simply put, it means green building.
1985
|
Energy Star Program created
by Austin City Council as one of many new energy conservation
programs to delay the construction of a new power plant |
1991
|
Green Building Program evolves
from Energy Star Program®.
Residential rating tool created |
1992
|
First Sustainable Building
Sourcebook written by GB staff |
1993
|
Green Building Program wins
award for Local Government Initiatives at the United
Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro
Austin City Council passes resolution to implement sustainable
building into City facilities |
1994
|
Green Building Program becomes
charter member of the United States Green Building Council
(USGBC); second generation of the residential rating
tool introduced Green Building Program partners with
Public Works Dept. to develop sustainable building guidelines
for municipal projects |
1995
|
Commercial Green Building
Program begins |
1997
|
Third generation of the
residential rating tool introduced |
1998
|
Green Building Program becomes
part of Austin Energy, the City's municipally-owned
electric utility; Multi-Family rating tool created;
Green Building Program and Austin Energy sponsor "Our
House" television series to promote energy efficiency
and green building |
1999
|
Green Building Program Web
site launched |
2000
|
Austin City Council passes
resolution requiring Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED™) Silver rating for all municipal
buildings; Green By Design CD-ROM created as public
education tool; Manage It Green consulting services
begin with mission to help other cities and utilities
create green building programs |
2001
|
City of Austin becomes part
of Smart Growth Network; City of Austin adopts International
Energy Conservation Code with local amendments; the
program begins offering quarterly Green By
Design workshops for consumers; over 3,000 homes rated
since the program's inception |
2002
|
Austin hosts first USGBC
National Conference; Program receives Outstanding Green
Building Program award from the National Association
of Homebuilders; American Consortium for an Energy Efficient
Economy recognizes Green Building Program as an "exemplary
program" |
2003
|
Green Building Program receives
Public Sector Leadership Award from the USGBC; version
7.0 of the residential rating tool released |
2004
|
Of the ten homes on the
Austin Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
annual home tour, five are Green-rated homes |
2005
|
Commercial rating tool revised |
|
