West New York, NJ Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)

The rule is § 88-1.A(4) of the West New York Town Code, adopted by the Board of Commissioners on 10-2-2019 as Ord. No. 17/19 under Chapter 88, Article I. It says all building and renovations undertaken by the Town shall follow green building practices in design, construction, and operation, where appropriate and practicable, as described in the LEED IM Rating System. Architects and engineers procured for that work must have LEED-certified members on their staff assigned to the project when and where practicable.

The article defines the terms it uses. Green building practices are a whole-systems approach to the design, construction, and operation of buildings that seeks to minimize the use of energy, water, and other natural resources. The LEED IM Rating System means the most recent version of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Commercial Green Building Rating System, or a related LEED IM system approved by the U.S. Green Building Council, for rating new and existing commercial, institutional, and high-rise residential buildings.

The clause carries built-in limits. Section 88-1.B says the health and safety of West New York employees and citizens takes precedence over all other policies, and that nothing in the article requires the Town, Purchasing Agent, Town Administrator, or a contractor to buy products that do not perform adequately, shut out adequate competition, or cannot be had at a reasonable price in a reasonable period of time. It also yields to any conflicting local, state, or federal requirement.

Private construction in the Town of West New York is a separate matter. Chapter 135 adopts the International Energy Conservation Code 2018 in § 135-7, administered by the Building Inspector, and the Uniform Construction Code is handled under Chapter 161.