Green Building Requirements

All non-exempt projects must submit an Unincorporated Marin County Checklist AND a CalGreen Checklist.

Choose Your Project Type

• One and Two-Family Residential New Construction 
• One and Two-Family Residential Additions and Alterations
  • Less Than 1,200 Square Feet
  • 1,200 Square Feet or Larger
• Multifamily Residential New Construction
  • 3 Stories or Less
  • 4 Stories or More
• Multifamily Residential Additions and Alterations
  • Less than 1,200 Square Feet
  • 1,200 Square Feet or Larger
• Nonresidential New Construction
• Nonresidential Additions and Alterations
  • Less than 3,000 Square Feet
  • 3,000 Square Feet or Larger

All non-exempt projects must submit an Unincorporated Marin County Checklist AND a CalGreen Checklist .

Residential CALGreen Checklists

• Residential New Construction
• Residential Additions and Alterations 1,200 Square Feet or Larger
• Residential Additions and Alterations Less Than 1,200 Square Feet

Nonresidential CALGreen Checklists

• Nonresidential New Construction
• Nonresidential Additions and Alterations 3,000 Square Feet or Larger
• Nonresidential Additions and Alterations Less Than 3,000 Square Feet

Applies To

All building and demolition permits.

Documents

• Marin County Recycling Construction and Demolition Form (Zero Waste Marin)
• Certified Construction and Demolition Facilities
• Ordinance 3389

Requirements

Minimum of 65% construction and demolition material from project reused or recycled.

How to Comply

• Submit Recycling & Reuse Plan form with permit application.
• Pay fee on square footage of project.
• Submit all disposal and recycling receipts at completion of project for release of Hold on Final Inspection.

Deconstruction Resources

Disposal of usable building materials wastes resources and landfill spaces and results in pollution when new building materials are manufactured in their place. Deconstruction involves removing of materials from buildings with care for the purpose of saving them for reuse.
More information on deconstruction can be found here:

• Learn about best practices for deconstruction
• Find Deconstruction, Reuse, and Recycling Resources in Marin

For Projects Submitted On or After April 12, 2018

• Single Family New Construction  
• Single Family Additions and Alterations
• Multifamily New Construction
• Multifamily Additions and Alterations
• Nonresidential New Construction
• Nonresidential Additions and Alterations

For Projects Submitted On or After January 1, 2017 and Before April 12, 2018

• Marin County Green Building Standards for Compliance (2016 Standards)

For Projects Submitted Before January 1, 2017

• Marin County Green Building Standards for Compliance (2013 Standards)

Why Green Building?

Green Building is a whole systems approach to construction and building operations that minimizes the large impact that our built environment has on our environment. In addition to saving on utility cost and reducing carbon emissions, green buildings provide many co-benefits to occupants, landlords, and homeowners including long term value, reduced energy and water use, reduced maintenance, and a more comfortable and healthier indoor environment.

The State’s California Energy Commission (CEC) updates mandatory minimum energy efficiency standards for buildings statewide – also known as Title 24, Parts 6 and 11 – every three years. For more details and green building resources visit the CEC Building Energy Efficiency Standards website.

For Marin County, energy efficiency standards or green building energy requirements are also updated once every three years dating back to 2013. Marin County typically adopts more aggressive standards than the state minimum, in line with its progressive environmental history. These requirements are adopted into nonresidential and residential building codes for unincorporated Marin County. Incorporated jurisdictions, or Cities and Towns, within the county may have different green building requirements ranging from meeting the State’s mandatory minimum to more aggressive. It is up to each incorporated jurisdiction to adopt its own green building energy requirements.

The current text of the Green Building Requirements for unincorporated Marin County is located in Title 19 Marin County Building Code, Subchapter 2 – Green Building Requirements. It is important to note the definition of "Demolition" according to County of Marin Development Code Chapter 22.130.030: "Removal or substantial modification of more than 75 percent of the linear sum of a building’s exterior walls, counted for all stories, shall be considered demolition of the building." This triggers new construction requirements under the Green Building Requirements.

Marin County has other requirements that enhance the implementation of green building features. Currently, there is a Construction and Demolition Reuse and Recycling Ordinance and Low-Carbon Concrete Ordinance both required to comply with Title 19 Marin County Building Code.