Sustainability Program
Our Urban Design
Through careful design of our urban spaces, we create places that look, feel and function as a cohesive community. The City is committed to promoting the development of environmentally responsible buildings and creating vibrant pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods.
Local & Regional Initiatives
In
2009, the City was awarded
a
Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification by the
U.S. Green Building Council for
the
North
Community Police Station.
The City adopted its Open Space and Trails Plan in 2005 and is currently working to revise its 2003 Master Bicycle and Trails Plan. Both promote alternative modes of transportation and pedestrian-friendly development integrated with natural open space.
The City has partnered with other agencies, such as the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) and Nevada State College, to create land-use plans focused on specific areas that incorporate sustainable design features, including the Boulder Highway Corridor Investment Strategy and the College Area Plan.
The City partnered with Habitat for Humanity by donating land to build two new homes in Henderson. These homes will be the first two in the Las Vegas Valley to seek LEED Platinum certification which is the highest rating available for green buildings from the U.S. Green Building Council.
In January 2010, the City adopted a
new
Development Code that incorporates a number of sustainable design principles
through an innovative points system for new development. To help
developers understand all of the new and revised regulations, the
Community Development Department
has created a user-friendly Sustainability
Checklist.
The Boulder Highway Corridor Investment Strategy was adopted in December 2008 in a collaborative effort with the Regional Transportation Commission to combine transportation and land-use planning. The resulting land use and zoning standards will provide additional support for the Boulder Highway Corridor project that should begin running along Boulder Highway in late 2011.
The City adopted its
Open Space and Trails Plan in 2005 and is currently working to revise its
2003
Master Bicycle and Trails Plan. Both plans promote alternative modes
of transportation and pedestrian-friendly development integrated with natural
open space.
The City has partnered with other agencies, such as the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) and Nevada State College, to create land use plans focused on specific areas that incorporate sustainable design features, including the Boulder Highway Corridor Investment Strategy and the College Area Plan.
Additional Information & Resources
In response to the typical pattern of suburban development that has emerged since the 1950's - sprawling neighborhoods of cookie-cutter houses that are nearly impossible to commute from without a car for every household - the Smart Growth movement promotes a more thoughtful approach that evaluates the total cost of development in terms of extending infrastructure and services, congestion, and loss of open space. The City of Henderson incorporates many of these principles through our Comprehensive Plan and recently updated Development Code.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently created a new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities "to coordinate federal housing and transportation investments with local land use decisions in order to reduce transportation costs for families, improve housing affordability, save energy, and increase access to housing and employment opportunities."
Green Fact
A zero energy building (ZEB) has a net energy consumption of zero over a typical year by producing as much energy as it consumes through solar power or other means. Zero energy buildings are gaining considerable interest as a method to cut greenhouse gas emissions and conserve energy. According to the Department of Energy buildings use 40% of the total energy in the U.S.