Upper Darby, PA Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies in
- C-3 Traditional Downtown Business District only
- Max combined height bonus
- 40 feet
- Green roof credit
- 10 feet for 70% roof coverage
- Alternative energy credit
- 10 feet for 15% of annual energy use
- Green building design credit
- 20 feet for LEED-NC/EB Silver
- LEED proof deadline
- 90 days after certificate of occupancy
Summary
Upper Darby has no mandatory green building code. Instead, § 550-23G(1) of the zoning ordinance dangles up to 40 feet of extra building height in the Traditional Downtown Business (C-3) District for developers who volunteer green features, including a 70%-coverage green roof or a written commitment to a LEED-NC or EB Silver rating.
(1) Height bonus. Projects in the C-3 District shall qualify for a maximum of 40 feet of additional building height in exchange for a combination of the bonus features listed in Table 5-2. ... Green building design: The applicant must submit a letter of intent that communicates its commitment to achieve a LEED-NC or EB Silver Rating or similar standard on its building. Within 90 days of receiving the final certificate of occupancy, the applicant must submit documentation that demonstrates achievement of a LEED Silver Rating or similar standard.
Full Breakdown
Table 5-2, attached to § 550-23G(1), lists the bonus features a C-3 project can combine toward its 40-foot cap. ' A separate alternative-energy feature earns another 10 feet for a solar, wind or geothermal installation sized to supply at least 15% of the building's expected annual energy use, again designed and installed by a qualified professional. The largest single credit, 20 feet, goes to 'green building design': the applicant must submit a letter of intent committing to a LEED-NC or LEED-EB Silver rating 'or similar standard,' then follow up within 90 days of receiving the final certificate of occupancy with documentation proving the rating was actually achieved.
These credits stack with non-green bonuses in the same table, such as historic-facade preservation (20 feet) and structured parking with public spaces (20 feet), all capped at a combined 40 feet of additional height for the district. Nothing in Chapter 550 makes any of this mandatory outside the C-3 District, and the chapter carries no separate green-construction mandate for any other district.
Violations & Fines
There is no fine for skipping green features, since the program is opt-in. The exposure runs the other way: a developer who accepts the 20-foot green-building-design bonus but fails to deliver the promised LEED documentation within 90 days of the certificate of occupancy is out of compliance with its own approval condition, exposing the project to Zoning Officer enforcement and the § 550-53G civil penalty of up to $500 per day until it is resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Upper Darby require LEED certification for new buildings?
How much taller can a green building go in downtown Upper Darby?
What proof does the Township require after construction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upper Darby
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