From the desk of Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director of Government & Public Affairs

AIA|LA & Los Angeles City Planning

Calling All Architects! Shape the Future of Housing & Design in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles-area architecture & design community has a unique opportunity to influence the city’s built environment. We’re hosting two roundtable discussions to dissect and refine two crucial draft ordinances recently released by the City of Los Angeles:

May 15 (4pm) – Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) Roundtable Discussion – – This program has the potential to significantly impact housing development across LA. Your input can help ensure it fosters innovative, high-quality design.
May 23 (2pm) – Landscape & Site Design Ordinance Roundtable Discussion– -This ordinance will shape how we integrate nature and public spaces into our city’s projects. Your expertise is essential to creating a more livable Los Angeles.

Please join us to share your insight & expertise.

Please review the draft ordinances in advance and come prepared to share your ideas and recommendations for how to improve these draft ordinances.  Your insight and feedback will help ensure that these regulations impact your projects in a more positive and pro-active direction — and advance design excellence citywide!

Draft Ordinances:

Housing Element Rezoning Program

The Citywide Housing Incentive Program Ordinance
Draft Ordinance (March 2024)
Fact Sheet (March 2024)

Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance
Citywide Adaptive Reuse Draft Ordinance (March 2024)
Current Zoning Code, Ch. 1
New Zoning Code, Ch. 1A
Fact Sheet (March 2024)

Housing Elements Sites Ordinance
Draft Ordinance (March 2024)
Fact Sheet (March 2024)

Resident Protections Ordinance
Draft Ordinance (March 2024)
Fact Sheet (March 2024)

Landscape and Site Design Ordinance

LADWP & PROJECT POWERHOUSE (Council File: 23-1023)

On April 22nd,  LADWP released their report back to Los Angeles City Council in response to Council President Paul Krekorian’s motion to expand “Project Powerhouse” beyond only 100% affordable housing projects ”
“and improve the engineering design and construction process and timelines to build enough housing of all kinds to meet the demand.”

The report directly references AIA|LA recommendations to improve on-site staging areas for transformers and opportunities to save more street trees.

Project PowerHouse aims to eliminate upfront costs for new utility infrastructure in affordable housing projects and expedite the engineering design and approval process. LADWP has implemented several initiatives to achieve this, including:

+ Pre-submittal meetings with developers to discuss project needs early in the design phase.
+ An electronic application process for power services (anticipated launch in Q2 2024).
+ Streamlined timelines for service planning phases.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA|LA) provided recommendations to improve LADWP’s services for housing projects. These recommendations focused on:

+ Transformer placement: AIA suggests locating transformers in the rear of projects to avoid removing trees and maximize developable space. LADWP offers pre-submittal meetings to discuss staging options and allows alley installations through a variance process.

+ Overhead power lines: LADWP recommends reaching out for pre-submittal meetings to address potential issues with overhead power lines early in the design phase. They also provide standard diagrams to help developers understand construction clearances.

+ Break-even determination and voltage classification: LADWP offers public information about circuit voltage to assist with project planning.

+ Encouraging adaptive reuse: LADWP no longer places the entire economic burden of infrastructure upgrades for adaptive reuse projects on a single property owner.

Next steps:

+ LADWP will continue to collaborate with developers and architects to refine the Project PowerHouse program.
+ They plan to hold quarterly workshops to educate stakeholders about the service planning design process.
+ LADWP is committed to increasing staffing and using new technologies to improve the development process.

To read the LADWP report, please CLICK HERE.

IMPORTANT UPDATES FROM AIA CALIFORNIA

Architect Hafsa Burt, AIA has graciously provided a “Quick Guide” to the California Building Standards Commission 2022 CALGreen Guide.

CALGreen Embodied Carbon Quick Guide – Summary

In August 2023, California raised the stakes on embodied carbon when it became the first state to mandate reductions in embodied carbon emissions as part of its building code. The update to the California Green Building Standards Code, which was driven by the advocacy of architects and building industry experts in the state, takes effect on July 1, 2024.

The recent embodied carbon regulations under CAL Green applied to non-residential developments over 100,000 square feet that fall under CBSC authority; and school constructions exceeding 50,000 square feet that fall under DSA authority must adhere to one of three compliance routes outlined in the code.

Examples of building types that will be subject to these measures include offices, retail, warehouses, K-12 schools, and community colleges. Examples of building types not subject to these requirements include housing of all types, and medical facilities regulated by OSHPD.

The first pathway is for projects involving building reuse, which will be required to reuse at least 45 percent of an existing building’s structure and exterior. When reuse projects are combined with new construction, the new building cannot exceed twice the size of the existing structure. The second pathway allows compliance through a comprehensive assessment of the building’s lifecycle. To meet this criterion, the project must demonstrate a 10-percent reduction in carbon emissions compared to a baseline project design of a similar construction type. The third pathway, termed prescriptive, centers on the global warming potential of products. Projects must adhere to limits that are based on Buy Clean California, expanded to include concrete. Materials covered include structural steel (including hot-rolled sections, hollow structural sections, and plate), concrete reinforcing steel, flat glass, mineral wool board insulation, and concrete.

CAL Green Embodied Carbon provisions are in Chapter 5 and the Compliance forms and worksheets are in Chapter 8.

Compliance Pathway Options:

Section 5.105 – Re-use of Existing Buildings’ Pathway – Page 4
Section 5.409.2 – Lifecycle Assessment Pathway – Page 23
Section 5.409.3 – GWP Compliance Prescriptive Pathway – Page 28

Worksheets: Pages 37-38

Worksheet (Ws-3) 5.105.2 Building Reuse path
Worksheet (Ws-4) Section 5.409.2 Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment path
Worksheet (Ws-5) Section 5.409.3 Product Gwp Compliance – Prescriptive Path

Worksheets for Tiers: Pages 39-42

Worksheet (Ws-6) [BSc-Cg] Section A5.105.2 Building Reuse Tier 1 And Tier 2
Worksheet (Ws-7) [BSc-Cg] Section A5.409.2 Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment
Worksheet (Ws-8) [BSc-Cg] Section A5.409.3 Product GWP Compliance-Prescriptive Path
Worksheet (Ws-9) Section 5.409.2 And Section A5.409.2 Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment

AIA|LA CITY LEADERS BREAKFAST RECEPTIONS

Please join us at our next four receptions.  We’ll be organizing more in the summer!

• Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum – CEO, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) = May 30 (8am) // RSVP HERE
• Alberto M. Carvalho – Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District  =  May 31 (8am) // RSVP HERE

AIA|LA & LACP DESIGN REVIEW SESSIONS

In 2024, we will coordinate thirty-six virtual design review sessions, which will serve as opportunities for architects and designers to help the Los Angeles City Planning’s Urban Design Studio critically review upcoming projects throughout the City.

Upcoming sessions include:

Tuesday, May 7 (10am – 12pm)

Tuesday, May 14 (10am – 12pm)

Tuesday, May 21 (10am – 12pm)

Join us here w/ RSVP to gain zoom access.

Reach out and get more involved!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director, Government & Public Affairs
t: 213.639.0764
e: will@aialosangeles.org
www.aialosangeles.org

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