The South Burlington City Council considers an ordinance to regulate heating and domestic water systems in new construction
At the recommendation of the City’s Climate Action Plan Task Force, the City Council is considering adopting an ordinance to regulate heating and domestic water systems in new construction. The ordinance will require that all new buildings in the City of South Burlington utilize a renewable primary heating system and a renewable domestic water heating system. The objective is to achieve a high degree of conservation of energy and, where possible, reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses. This will be achieved by requiring the heating and domestic water heating systems in all new buildings to meet specified energy efficiency performance standards and maximum allowable heat loss standards.
Specifically, the proposed ordinance:
- Requires that all new buildings in the City of South Burlington utilize a renewable primary heating system and a renewable domestic water heating system.
- Defines new buildings as all new construction of residential, commercial, or industrial buildings with a heating source and/or a domestic water heating source.
- Defines renewable primary heating system as a heating system that meets at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the building’s design heating load calculated per the Vermont Commercial Building Energy Standards energy code and is fueled by electricity, wood pellets or wood chips, or other renewable fuel.
- Defines renewable domestic water heating system as a domestic water heating system that is fueled by electricity, wood pellets or woodchips, other renewable fuel, or solar thermal energy.
The proposed ordinance also includes a process for obtaining a waiver from the requirements of the ordinance and mandates the appointment of a building inspector.
A Public Hearing for a second reading and potential final passage of the proposed new City ordinance will be held on Monday, September 19, 2022 at 7:30 PM.
Participate in person: Auditorium at 180 Market Street, South Burlington
Participate virtually: https://meet.goto.com/SouthBurlingtonVT/city-council-09-19-2022
Participate by phone: (872) 240-3212 Access Code: 294-438-677
The proposed ordinance is available here or upon request at the City Clerk’s office, South Burlington City Hall, 180 Market Street during regular office hours.
