Reading, PA Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)
Key Facts
- Program type
- Voluntary coverage bonus, not mandate
- Coverage bonus
- 300 sq ft per 1,000 sq ft
- Solar height bonus
- 15 feet above height limit
- Green roof credit
- Excluded from impervious coverage calc
Summary
Reading doesn't mandate green construction, but it rewards LEED-certified buildings with extra building coverage, exempts vegetated roofs from impervious-area calculations, and lets rooftop solar rise above the district height limit.
For each 1,000 square feet of building floor area that achieves "certification" or a higher level under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, an additional 300 square feet of building coverage shall be allowed beyond the maximum building coverage requirement.
(1) If a building is approved to be certified as a condition of an incentive under this chapter and certification is not met after completion, then the applicant is required to make modifications to the project until such certification is received. The City may require that a LEED certified professional and the building owner provide written evidence during the construction process that the features are being installed that were part of the proposed certification.
(2) However, in no case shall this incentive reduce the amount of ground-level vegetative area to less than 5% of a lot in a commercial or industrial district, or 10% in an R-3 District or 25% in another district.
D. Solar collection devices may extend a maximum of 15 feet above the maximum height limit and are a permitted-by-right use in all districts. Solar collection devices serving signs may extend 10 feet above the maximum height of the sign.
E. If solar collection devices are installed above vehicle parking, such structures shall not be regulated as part of building coverage.
18. Editor's Note: See Ch. 505, Stormwater Management. ***** Part 10 Accessory Uses *****
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-8: Current through August 10, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 600-918 is a zoning incentive, not a requirement: for every 1,000 square feet of floor area that achieves LEED certification or higher under the Green Building Rating System, the project earns an extra 300 square feet of building coverage beyond the district maximum. A vegetated, runoff-absorbing roof or balcony doesn't count as impervious or building coverage, and rooftop solar collectors may extend 15 feet above the height limit as a use permitted by right in every zoning district.
Violations & Fines
There's no LEED mandate to violate, but a project that claims the coverage bonus and then fails to reach certification must keep modifying the building until it qualifies, and the City can demand written proof from a LEED-certified professional during construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Reading require green building certification?
What happens if my LEED-incentive project isn't certified after completion?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reading
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