City of Asheville - Efficiency Standards for City Buildings

In April 2007, the Asheville City Council adopted carbon emission reduction goals and set LEED standards for new city buildings. The policies passed by the City have set specific goals in a variety of climate related areas. These include
achieving LEED certification for new City buildings, reducing carbon emissions by 80%, reducing municipal waste by 50%, and transitioning to 100% renewable energy. To work towards this goal, the council also resolved that all new occupied city-owned buildings greater than 5,000 square feet will adhere to the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified "Gold" standard. New city buildings less than 5,000 square feet will achieve the LEED "Silver" standard.

The resolution requires city planners to strive for the highest LEED certification possible when project resources and conditions permit. Buildings greater than 5,000 square feet must meet an energy savings payback period of 10 years or less. If the payback period exceeds 10 years, city planners must instead construct the facility to meet the LEED "Silver" standard.

The City Council adopted a Sustainability Management Plan in June 2009 to aid the city in reaching its carbon reduction goals. In March 2023, the City Council approved a Municipal Climate Action Plan (MCAP), updating the 2009 Sustainability Management Plan to incorporate new policies and resolutions, identify the top 22 most impactful, equitable, and feasible activities, and create a roadmap for accomplishing the three adopted goals and building the City’s resilience. The three goals outlined in the MCAP include:

1. Resilient, sustainable, and efficient city-owned assets
2. Sustainability and climate priorities are embedded In city operations, participation, and decision making
3. The city supports sustainability and resilience for area residents and businesses