Mayor Martin Chávez declared Monday that all new city buildings larger than 5,000 square feet must adhere to environmentally responsible building practices known as "green building."

But more than using energy efficient light bulbs and water efficient faucets, the executive order heralds a new standard of construction for the city, putting it in step with a nationwide green-building movement.

"This is really a paradigm shift. Ultimately it is good for business"
- Mayor Chávez

Employee productivity in green buildings is higher than in non-green buildings, and energy cost savings quickly pay for the increase in building cost, said Karen Cook, president of EECOM, a consulting and marketing firm specializing in sustainable economic development. Cook is also a member of Gov. Bill Richardson's Green Building Task Force.

Under Chávez's order, all new city buildings and old building undergoing extensive remodeling must adhere to standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council. The standards, called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, were created in 2000.

Chávez said his administration has been discussing implementing the standards since before fall 2004, when it hired Cook and her firm.

Moving toward green building practices includes more than materials. It includes converting waste into usable products and planning that considers public transportation and accessibility. Those elements create an economic niche for green builders and recycleries, Cook said.

Cook said the city's manufacturers and construction companies can contribute their garbage to the green endeavor.

"Garbage does not need to sit (in the landfill) anymore. That is a source of money that is just sitting there," she said.

Recommendations for sustainable building practices from the nongovernmental U.S. Green Buildings Council have been adopted by the federal government.

By federal mandate, some buildings at Sandia National Laboratories will be going green. The city of San Francisco has mandated green city buildings, as has Scottsdale, Ariz., and Boston.

Chávez said the requirements will be overseen by the Department of Economic Development. Consultations for contractors and others in the building process will be available through the city's Planning Department.