City of Frisco - Residential and Commercial Green Building Codes (Texas)

Last modified on February 12, 2015.

Rules Regulations Policies Program

Place	Texas
Name	City of Frisco - Residential and Commercial Green Building Codes
Incentive Type	Building Energy Code
Applicable Sector	Commercial, Multi-Family Residential, Residential
Eligible Technologies	Comprehensive Measures/Whole Building, Duct/Air sealing, Programmable Thermostats, Roofs
Active Incentive	Yes
Implementing Sector	Local
Energy Category	Energy Efficiency Incentive Programs
Commercial Code	All non-residential buildings and multifamily developments with preliminary or final site plans dated on or after Nov. 27, 2006 must comply with the specifications of the EPA Energy Star Cool Roof Program as it exists or may be amended, as well as meet specific heat island mitigation, landscape, and construction waste recycling standards.
Residential Code	All single family residential structures for which the building permit is filed after June 30, 2007 must meet the Energy Star designation as it stands or is amended with a Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS) Index of 83 or below; Additional energy efficiency, indoor air quality, water conservation, and waste recycling requirements also apply.
Website	http://www.friscotexas.gov/departments/planningdevelopment/greenbuilding/pages/default.aspx
Date added to DSIRE	2007-10-03
Last DSIRE Review	2012-07-02
References	DSIRE

Summary

Note: In the spring on 2012, the city of Frisco was working to update the residential requirements. No official city council action had been taken at the time this summary was updated. Check program web site for current status of updates.

The city of Frisco administers a green building program with separate rules for commercial and residential structures. The programs are governed by separate ordinances passed at different times although both were amended in October 2006 with updated building information. Each also contains other environmental related restrictions in addition to energy efficiency requirements.

Residential The residential green building program began in 2001 under Ordinance No. 01-05-39, which required that all single-family residential structures platted after May 31, 2001 receive the EPA Energy Star designation for energy efficiency. The original ordinance was amended in 2006 with additional requirements for structures with building permits filed after June 30, 2007. These new structures are required to be meet Energy Star specifications with a score of 83 or lower on the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index. An Energy Star designation requires a HERS score of 85 or lower. The amendment also requires:

• Every home be tested (i.e., no batch testing) by an accredited Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) HERS inspector, who must register annually with the city;
• Every story have at least one programmable thermostat;
• Air distribution system joints be sealed with duct mastic;
• Pressure differential between closed-off rooms and the location of the central air return not exceed ±3 Pa;
• All structures meet ASHRAE Standard 62.2 and other indoor air quality standards;
• Compliance with the city landscape ordinance (water conservation); and
• Construction waste recycling

Over 16,246 green homes have been built since the inception of the program in 2001. On average, the program saves households $436 or more in utility expenses each year and has avoided over 38,505 tons of CO2 emissions (statistics provided by the City of Frisco).

Commercial

The commercial green building program was initiated in May 2004 under Ordinance No. 04-05-41, which required that all non-single family developments of greater than 10,000 square feet complete the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design* (LEED) checklist. There were no compulsory building requirements in the initial stages of this program. The law simply required the checklist data be submitted to city planners for one year (beginning Sept. 2004) in order to determine the effect of such a program on private development. This ordinance was repealed in Oct. 2006 in favor of a new ordinance defining design requirements for all non-residential and multifamily dwellings sited on or after Nov. 27, 2006. The new ordinance requires that 100% of all roof areas comply with the EPA Energy Star Cool Roof Program as it exists or may be amended, and that buildings fulfill specific heat island mitigation, water conservation, and construction waste recycling standards.

As of July 2012, over 7,310,340 square feet of "green" commercial space has been built (statistics provided by the City of Frisco).

Incentive Contact

Department	Frisco Department of Planning and Development
Division	Comprehensive and Environmental
Address	6101 Frisco Square Blvd.
Place	Frisco, Texas
Zip/Postal Code	75034
Phone	(972) 292-5360
Phone 2	(972) 292-5000
Website	http://www.friscotexas.gov/departments/planningdevelopment/greenbuilding/pages/default.aspx

Authorities (Please contact the if there are any file problems.)

Authority 1:	Ord. No. 06-10-111 (Residential)
Date Enacted	2006-10-17

Authority 2:	Ord. No. 06-10-110 (Commercial)
Date Enacted	2006-10-17

• Incentive and policy data are reviewed and approved by the N.C. Solar Center's DSIRE project staff.