Anyone wanting to build a new home in Danville will have additional statewide requirements to follow starting January 1, including installing sprinklers and following green building codes.

The requirements only apply to new homes, town-homes and commercial buildings. Remodels and existing homes do not need to meet the requirements.

The Green Building Standards Code, also known as CALGreen, is a statewide mandate and is the first of its kind in the nation. CALGreen will call for mandatory requirements for both commercial and residential buildings.

"By the year 2035, three-quarters of the built environment will be renovated," said Mike Leontiades, Chief Building Official for the town. "This is a great opportunity to have some green standards for future buildings to help maintain the environmental quality."

Leontiades said each city or town in the state can implement the codes at different levels. He said Danville has decided to adopt the minimum standards and could "be more restrictive if we wanted to."

"We are going to adopt it as written because people need to get used to it," said Leontiades.

Another new requirement is the California Residential Code that also goes into effect on Jan. 1. It will require automatic fire sprinklers in all new single-family homes and townhouses in the state.

Leontiades said that the town currently has an ordinance  that requires new homes to have a fire sprinkler system if the house exceeded 3,600 square feet. Prior to 2008 that requirement was for homes exceeding 5,000 square feet. Starting Jan. 1, all new single family homes will require a sprinkler system.

New commercial buildings already have a sprinkler system requirement.

He said the cost will vary depending on the type of sprinkler system being used.

Given the current economic situation, Danville has seen a decrease in the number of new homes being built, said Leontiades.

In 2005 there were 35 new single family homes built in town. In 2006 that number went down to 21 and in 2007 it went back up to 30. With the recession, the figure fell to just five homes in 2008. There was an increase to 12 homes in 2009 and so far this year, three new homes are currently being built in town.

For those who are building new homes in town, Leontiades provided the attached document that outlines the new Green Building Standards requirements.