Green Building

Green buildings are designed, constructed and operated to minimize negative impacts on people and the environment. They are healthy, high performing and resource efficient facilities that have been shown to reduce operating costs and increase occupant productivity.

Here are several green building rating and certification systems:

• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
• Florida Green Building Coalition
• National Green Building Standard
• Living Building Challenge
• Green Globes
• Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)

In the United States, buildings account for 70 percent of the total electricity used, almost 40 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions, and 12 percent of the total water used. As an example, LEED-certified buildings have 34 percent lower CO2 emissions, consume 25 percent less energy, 11 percent less water, and have diverted more than 80 million tons of waste from landfills.

Sarasota County's Green Building Commitment

In 2005, Sarasota County made a local commitment to build high-performing, sustainable buildings to provide economic, environmental, and health benefits for the public and employees. The county went further in 2006, when it became the first county in the nation to accept the American Institute of Architect’s 2030 Challenge to design new buildings to be carbon-neutral by 2030. As a result of this commitment, numerous county buildings have earned LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for energy efficiency, reduced impact on the environment, water conservation and more.

Sarasota County also created a fast-track permitting incentive program in 2005 to encourage the private sector to adopt green building practices, just like the county had committed to do on its own facilities. In 2017, that resolution was updated to reflect the changes in the green building certifying standards since the original policy and to streamline implementation with the other county permitting incentive programs such as affordable housing and Universal Design.

Sarasota County Green Buildings

Sarasota County currently has multiple green buildings that have achieved LEED certification from the USGBC, with more in progress. One building also has achieved a Green Globes Certification from the Green Building Institute. Each of these buildings has incorporated new technologies and building techniques to decrease taxpayer dollars spent on operations, improve air and water quality, and provide a healthy indoor environment for visitors and employees.

The following lists notes some county-owned buildings that have achieved green building certification, with the year of certification. Fact sheets on several are available in the links to provide more details on the building’s green features.

LEED Gold

• Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library (2005)
• Twin Lakes Park Green Building (2005)
• Urfer Family Park – C.B. Wilson House (2011)

LEED Silver

• Fire Station #15 (2011)
• Fire Station #1 (2011)
• Fire Station #10 (2011)
• Gulf Gate Library (2015)
• Fire Station #16 (2016)
• Fire Station #17 (2016)
• Fire Station #12 (2016)
• Fire Station #14 (2017)
• William H. Jervey, Jr. Venice Public Library (2019)

LEED Certified

• Fire Station #3 (2011)
• North Port Health Center (2012)
• Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center (2016)

Green Globes

• Sheriff Tom Knight Support Services Facility (2021)

Green Building in the Community

Many local architects and builders are national leaders in applying sustainable strategies to homes and commercial buildings. In fact, your home may be certified green and you may not even know it. Some whole developments have been certified green, including Lakewood Ranch, Venetian Golf and River Club, and Granada Park.

Whether or not your property was designed to a green building standard originally, you can retrofit to improve the sustainability of your building.