07 Dec Village of Palmetto Bay Renews Commitment to Green Building by Achieving FGBC Silver Designation
PALMETTO BAY (December 7, 2023) – The Village of Palmetto Bay has renewed their commitment to green building and sustainability by earning Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) “Florida Green” certification.
The non-profit Florida Green Building Coalition was formed in 2000 and is the leading certifying agency for green building in the state of Florida having just surpassed 35,000 single-family homes, commercial buildings, high-rises, land developments and local governments. To date 78 Local Governments have participated in the Local Green Government program.
The Village of Palmetto Bay achieved 32 percent of its 313 applicable points, earning them a Silver-level designation.
“The Village of Palmetto Bay was certified bronze in 2018. Since then, the village has been steadfast in the pursuit of the Silver-level designation which it has earned this year. FGBC will be recognizing the Village in our annual awards luncheon as the highest scoring local government for 2023,” noted FGBC Executive Director C.J. Davila.
The FGBC green certification program scored the Village of Palmetto Bay in terms of categories. Categories include energy efficiency, water, economic development, sustainable tourism, emergency management, planning, zoning and more. A complete local government certification checklist is available at www.floridagreenbuilding.org.
Some highlights from the Village of Palmetto Bay include:
- Owned or leased buildings are certified green – Including Village Hall
- Offer green products such as compost bins, rain barrels and drought tolerant seedlings
- Offer incentives for green building and construction.
- Provide recycle collection services and education to multi-family dwellings
- Tree City USA Designation
“It all starts with Leadership. The certification demonstrates exemplary leadership by Mayor Karyn Cunningham, Vice Mayor Leanne Tellam, Councilmembers Patrick Fiore, Steve Cody, Marsha Matson, and Village Manager Nick Marano. Also, Resilience Coordinator Andrea Candelaria, Community and Economic Development Director Heidi Siegel and all the staff that worked on this tremendous accomplishment,” added FGBC president Kyle Abney.
Over two decades ago, FGBC brought together industry professionals from the construction, government, academic and research communities to create green standards tailored specifically to Florida. Beyond third party certifications, FGBC is also a resource for the local governments when considering going green.
“The FGBC Green Local Government program is unique within the country as well as our state. It creates an environment of communication and coordination amongst different departments. This collaboration streamlines processes, decreases redundancies, and generates innovative approaches toward sustainability and resource preservation,” Davila said.
“Florida Green” standards take a scientific approach and developed with state-specific criteria. They address Florida’s hot-humid environment, climate, distinctive topography, unique geology, resiliency, and natural disasters.
Going Green? In Florida you have a choice. For more information call (407) 777-4920, email info@floridagreenbuilding.org or visit www.floridagreenbuilding.org.