For the third time since 2008, the Boulder County Commissioners have revised the BuildSmart Regulations, which are designed to promote and encourage energy efficient and “sustainable development” for new construction and reconstruction of residential properties in the unincorporated areas of Boulder County. According to the County, the benefits of the revisions are as follows: 1) some requirements for new dwellings, additions, and remodels have been relaxed; 2) five different options will now be available for compliance for most projects; 3) small energy-efficient spas and pools are exempt; 4) the creation of a new “Prescriptive” alternative to the HERS rating system, which will be less costly and provide more flexible choices particularly for smaller additions and remodels; 5) “straight line graph HERS requirements” for both new dwellings and additions, leading to more consistent and simpler measures for determining energy efficiency (additionally, the new HERS thresholds for additions in most cases are less stringent); and 6) clearer thresholds for calculating new conditioned floor area and applying the HERS rating system to remodels. Commissioner Will Toor says the revisions help to balance the desire of the County to reduce energy use and yet create regulations that are user-friendly. The revisions become law on April 1. For more information visit: http://www.bouldercountybuildsmart.org/.