Boulder at Forefront with Green Points Program

Boulder, Colorado may be on a track to become the “greenest” city in the country, at least regarding support of green building. With the recently updated and renamed Green Points Program, Boulder now specifies a minimum number of green measures for new homes and additions as a requirement for getting a building permit. Evolving out of Boulder’s Energy Option Points Program, which was established in the early 1980s to spur better energy design, the Green Points Program was rolled out in March 1997.

Green Points are earned for energy- and resource-efficient features in eight different categories: land use, framing, plumbing, electrical, insulation, HVAC, solar energy, and indoor air quality. Details of exactly what is required to earn the points for each measure are clearly described in a 24-page booklet about the program. Benefits of each measure are also described, which makes the program a valuable educational tool.