S.F. moves (closer) to greenest building codes in U.S.

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/20/MN7QVMJ5T.DTL

S.F. moves to greenest building codes in U.S.

Cecilia M. Vega, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, March 20, 2008

San Francisco moved a step closer Wednesday to imposing the country's most stringent green building codes, regulations that would require new large commercial buildings and residential high-rises to contain such environmentally friendly features as solar power, nontoxic paints and plumbing fixtures that decrease water usage.

City officials estimate that by 2012, the new green building codes could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60,000 tons and save 220,000 megawatt hours of power and 100 million gallons of drinking water.

The Building Inspection Commission, which oversees building permitting and construction, voted unanimously Wednesday to send the green building standards to the Board of Supervisors. If the supervisors approve the regulations, Mayor Gavin Newsom, who last year convened a task force to study and develop the proposals, has promised to sign them into law.

The rules, if implemented, would be phased in gradually, and developers would have until 2012 to fully comply with the strictest levels of the green building codes.

...

[XemaSab]

1. Low-flow toilets are bullshit

Plumbers: is there a way to get a dual-flow toilet that uses a tiny amount of water for some jobs and a LOT for other jobs?

'Cause the whole toilet-not-flushing-TP-after-a-pee and clogging if you "let it mellow" thing probably wastes more water than a regular-flow toilet.

/tmi

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. I'm not a plumber, but they make them

For example:
http://www.totousa.com/productpage.asp?PID=803

[diane in sf]

3. Totos actually work without clogging.

[stimbox]

5. Hold the handle down until the bowl clears, don't just push it down and release.

It still may clog on occasion, but it usually works.
Barring that get a flange plunger.

[diane in sf]

4. Now if they'll only make my landlord insulate the attic--it's hit 106 degrees

in my flat during heat waves.

[hogwyld]

6. Just flew through SFO

and I noticed that the entire roof structure of the airport, both domestic and international, were covered in solar panels. Now, if we could get every business in the nation with a flat roof to install these panels, we could at least put a dent in our power production needs.

[diane in sf]

7. Most of the buildings in SF have flat roofs, residential and commercial, the

panels can face anywhere from south to almost due west here and be effective. So much available territory for solar and it's still going unused!