Tribal Green Building Toolkit 2015
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Tribal Green Building Toolkit 2015 Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. – Chief Seattle, 1854 EPA-909-R-15-003 July 2015 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is grateful for the invaluable assistance of a number of organizations and individuals who helped develop the Tribal Green Building Toolkit (Toolkit). Tribes contributed to the development of the Toolkit by participating in green building codes pilot projects, by providing comments, through the Tribal Green Building Codes Workgroup and through feedback obtained at the National American Indian Housing Council Annual Conference in May of 2013. The project was led by EPA Region 9’s Tribal Green Building Team, in collaboration with Tribal Green Building Codes Workgroup members. Special thanks to the following individuals for leading the development of the Toolkit: • Michelle Baker, LEED AP, and Timonie Hood, LEED AP, EPA Region 9 • David Eisenberg and Tony Novelli, Development Center for Appropriate Technology • Laura Bartels, GreenWeaver, Inc. We recognize the following individuals for providing invaluable feedback on the Toolkit: • Big Sandy Rancheria: Jaime Collins, Robert Rhoan and Miles Baty • Blue Star Studio Inc.: Scott Moore • Builders Without Borders: Martin Hammer • Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP: Dean Suagee • Intertribal Council on Utility Policy: Bob Gough • Ross Strategic: Elizabeth McManus, Jennifer Tice, Morgan Hoenig and Todd Roufs • Sault Tribe of the Chippewa Indians: Joanne Umbrasas • Spokane Tribe of Indians: Benjamin A. Serr, Tua Vang, Ryan Hughes, Richard Knott, Donner Ellsworth, Melodi Wynn, Jennifer Covington, Lux Devereaux, Lorri Ellsworth and Clyde Abrahamson • Sustainable Native Communities: Jamie Blosser • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Dorothy Crow-Willard, Guadalupe Herrera and Justice Rhodes (Region VIII) and Sarah D. Olson (Region IX) • Washington State University Extension: Michael Lubliner The project benefited from funding and support from EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response Innovations Work Group and the Office of Sustainable Communities. EPA contributors included: Abby Hall, Brett Van Akkeren and Megan Susman, EPA Office of Sustainable Communities; Jed Harrison, EPA Office of Radiation and Indoor Air; Brian Ng, EPA ENERGY STAR; Jeffery Kohn, EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response; Ksenija Janjic and Nicole Villamizar, EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery; Priyanka Pathak, Kathleen Stewart, Shelly Rosenblum and Willard Chin, EPA Region 9; Suganthi Simon, EPA Region 4; Stephanie Tanner, EPA Office of Water; and Timothy Rehder, EPA Region 8. This product was developed for EPA Region 9 by Ross Strategic, GreenWeaver, Inc., and the Development Center for Appropriate Technology (EPA Contract No. EP-G139-00152). Some materials in this document have been adapted from EPA’s Sustainable Design and Green Building Toolkit for Local Governments and Tribal Green Building Codes: Development Guidance. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. Photo credits: Cover: Top row of photos: Pinoleville Pomo Nation | Pinoleville Pomo Nation Homes and Navajo Nation | Nageezi House; Bottom row of photos Pascua Yaqui Tribe | Guadalupe House Passamaquoddy Tribe | Kikunol Housing (courtesy of Sustainable Native Communities Collaborative); Section introductory photos courtesy of Jared Blumenfeld, EPA Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest, with tribal permission unless otherwise noted. Tribal Green Building Toolkit i TABLE OF CONTENTS Key Terms & Acronyms ................................................................................................................................................................ v Section 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Toolkit Purpose .............................................................................................................................................................................. 1 The Importance of Green Building to Tribes .................................................................................................................................. 2 The Importance of Building Codes to Tribal Sovereignty ............................................................................................................... 3 The Importance of Affordable Housing to Tribes........................................................................................................................... 3 EPA Green Building Labeling Programs .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Key Reasons to Implement Green Building Codes and Land Use Policies ..................................................................................... 5 Section 2: Overview of the Tribal Green Building Toolkit ............................................................................................................ 6 Guide to Using this Toolkit ............................................................................................................................................................. 6 Assessment Tool ............................................................................................................................................................................ 7 How the Assessment Tool Works................................................................................................................................................... 7 Specific Question and Potential Tools and Techniques ................................................................................................................. 7 Steps for Completing the Assessment ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Resource Guide .............................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Creating a Plan ............................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Who Should Use the Toolkit ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 How the Toolkit Can Help ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 Section 3: Assessment – Land Use ............................................................................................................................................. 11 3.1. Community Considerations ................................................................................................................................................... 12 3.2. Site Development in Relation to Natural, Culturally Significant, and Historic Areas ............................................................ 12 3.3. Site Development and Environmental Accountability .......................................................................................................... 13 Existing Codes, Standards, and Other Regulatory Tools for Review ............................................................................................ 13 Case Study: Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians ....................................................................................................... 15 Code Incentive Examples ............................................................................................................................................................. 17 Questions to Assess Land Use ..................................................................................................................................................... 17 Resources: Land Use ................................................................................................................................................................... 35 Section 4: Assessment – Materials and Resource Conservation ................................................................................................. 42 4.1. Environmentally Responsible Materials - Local, Natural, Recyclable.................................................................................... 43 4.2. Building Preservation and Reuse of Structures on Developed Land ..................................................................................... 45 4.3. Durability, Repairability, and Adaptability ............................................................................................................................ 45 4.4. Materials Reuse and Recycling .............................................................................................................................................