Chapter 9: Iowa Green Streets Criteria

Table of Contents

This chapter describes the Iowa Green Streets Criteria requirements that may apply to CDBG projects. Recipients should review the chapter carefully and the full Iowa Green Streets Criteria online and refer to it as necessary to ensure compliance. The various chapter components include: 

  • Overview
  • Iowa Green Streets Project Criteria
  • Implementing Iowa Green Streets
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Overview

Why Iowa Green Streets?

The Iowa Green Streets Criteria promote public health, energy efficiency, water conservation, smart locations, operational savings and sustainable building practices. In addition to increasing resource efficiency and reducing environmental impacts, green building strategies can yield cost savings through long-term reduction in operating expenses. The benefits include improved energy performance and comfort, a healthier indoor environment, increased durability of building components, and simplified maintenance requirements that can lead to financial efficiencies for property managers and owners. Green building practices improve the economics of managing affordable housing and community facilities while enhancing quality of life for residents, visitors, and employees.

Who is Eligible?

Any of the CDBG annual programs can choose to incorporate Iowa Green Streets into a project. It is optional for all programs and no longer required. Some programs may offer additional funding if a recipient chooses to incorporate Iowa Green Streets (e.g., Upper Story Housing or Community Facilities). For more detail on the options available and the particular requirements, please review the funding opportunities and applications in IowaGrants.

Guiding Principles

Guiding principles behind the Iowa Green Streets Criteria ensure that buildings must be cost effective to build, and durable and practical to maintain. In addition, the principles work together to help produce green buildings that:

  • Result in a high-quality, healthy living and working environment
  • Lower utility costs
  • Enhance connections to nature
  • Protect the environment by conserving energy, water, materials, and other resources
  • Advance the health of local and regional ecosystems
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Iowa Green Streets Project Criteria

National Context

The Iowa Green Streets Criteria is based on the national Green Communities Criteria available online at https://www.greencommunitiesonline.org. The Iowa Economic Development Authority thanks Enterprise and its partners for development of the national Green Communities Criteria and the use of those criteria in development of the Iowa Green Streets Criteria.

What are the Green Streets Criteria?

Please be aware that this Iowa Green Streets Criteria document is subject to periodic revision and update. Refer to the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Community Development Division website, Iowa Green Streets Criteria  for the most current version. 

The Iowa Green Streets Criteria include components in the criteria for the following types of activities or projects:

  • Community Facilities
  • Sustainable Community Demonstration
  • Multifamily
  • Upper-Story Housing
  • Any other projects involving new construction or rehabilitation of an existing building
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Implementing Iowa Green Streets

A Reminder Prior to Getting Started

Remember that in submitting the Iowa Green Streets Criteria Green Development Plan and Checklist with your project proposal that your project has committed to and is contractually required to meet the performance requirements of the Iowa Green Streets Criteria.

Design Phase

When procuring technical services, architectural and/or engineering services, remember to also procure the applicable third-party energy system design and rating expertise for your project.

Host an integrated design workshop with your design professionals and energy expertise contractor and as many other people involved with your project as possible. An integrative design process facilitates the design and development team’s achievement of green objectives throughout the project life cycle. The outcomes of an integrative design process can include substantially lower development costs and greater health, economic, and environmental benefits for residents, property owners, and communities. Contact the IEDA to identify design expertise IEDA can make available to assist your project’s design team in identifying best practices in design and construction for your project.

Procurement Phase

Develop construction documents that include Appendix F, “Project Plan and Spec Book Checklist,” and language notifying potential bidders that the project is following the Iowa Green Streets Criteria and that construction performance meeting the criteria is required. Do not forget this includes language requiring a construction waste management plan that will result in construction and demolition materials being diverted from the landfill via reduction, reuse or recycling.

Submit through www.iowagrants.gov construction plans/specifications and a completed Appendix C, “Certification of Construction Contract Document Compliance,” prior to issuing construction bids.

Construction Phase

Following award of the construction contract, work with IEDA CDBG Design Technical Assistance consulting team to arrange a meeting with the general contractor and subcontractors to review the Iowa Green Streets Criteria and the sustainable design practices integrated into the construction documents, the intent of those practices and best practices for installation.

Prior to drywall installation, notify the third-party energy professional to complete a thermal bypass checklist inspection to ensure proper construction techniques were utilized in constructing the building’s thermal envelope.

Closeout Phase

Upon project completion work with the third-party energy professional to conduct any final testing protocols to verify attainment of the Iowa Green Streets Criteria energy performance requirements.

Upon project completion, submit through www.iowagrants.gov a completed Iowa Green Streets Criteria Appendix D, “Certification of Compliance at End of Construction,” and a completed Iowa Green Streets Criteria Appendix E, “Energy Performance Certification.”

Resources

It is very important to fully understand the Iowa Green Streets Criteria early on in the project design process. If you have any questions, please contact your project manager or Jeff Geerts, jeff.geerts@iowaeda.com or 515.348.6211.

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