Tuscaloosa, AL Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)

Article VI, division 9, 'Green Building Incentives,' opens with a purpose clause at Sec. 25-168 stating the division supports developments incorporating green building features for energy conservation, alternative energy use, indoor air quality, water conservation, sustainable building, and alternate transportation. Sec. 25-169 makes all development eligible to participate, but subordinates the incentives to the neighborhood compatibility standards in division 7 if the two ever conflict. The certification requirement sits in Sec. 25-171(a): a development may qualify for incentives by achieving either 'LEED® Gold Certification or equivalent,' meaning LEED Gold or an equivalent rating under the National Green Building Standard/NGBS Green or the International Code Council's International Green Construction Code, or the higher 'LEED® Platinum Certification or equivalent' tier.

Sec. 25-171(b) requires using whichever rating system fits the project, such as LEED's Building Design and Construction system for new construction or major renovation. Under the procedure in Sec. 25-172, an applicant submits a written statement with its development application attesting to the intended certification; Gold-tier certification unlocks one incentive from Sec. 25-170, Platinum-tier unlocks two, and review happens alongside whatever development application already governs the project, including a planned development, conditional use permit, special exception use permit, land development permit, or subdivision plat. Sec.

25-173 backstops the whole program: before a building permit issues, a licensed Alabama architect or engineer must certify the project will meet the promised rating, and before a certificate of occupancy issues, the applicant must prove it actually did. The division was adopted by Ord. No. 9572, § 2, effective December 17, 2024.