Building Sustainable Ordinances in Taos

Cities and towns across the US are grappling with ways to reduce energy costs, conserve water, and limit their carbon footprint. Taos, NM, is on the forefront of this collective challenge. On Feb 24, 2009, the Taos Town Council unanimously approved the Taos High Performance Building Ordinance. The town of Taos hired Sage West Consultants to draft an ordinance that incorporated energy-efficient and sustainable building practices for residential, commercial and town-owned properties. This article highlights three distinct perspectives of sustainability critical to the adoption and success of the building ordinance. They are: 1. produce sustainable reduction in energy and water consumption, 2. provide economically sustainable alternatives for affordable housing, and 3. facilitate sustainable community consensus on the principles of ordinance. The town's strategy to proactively and inclusively engage local stakeholders to define and develop the principles and intent of the high-performance building ordinance has already had a significant impact.