BUSINESS WATCH:

The construction site by the Coast Community College District’s headquarters on Adams Avenue looks like a typically messy building job — spare parts lying around, mounds of soil piled high and dust coloring just about everything.

When the new headquarters opens this summer, however, the main color on the district’s mind is going to be green. The city debuted a program last fall to encourage businesses and homeowners to build environmentally sound structures, and the district headquarters is the first major project to take up the city’s offer.

“A lot of our students at OCC have been into environmental sustainability for a long time, and we at the district encourage it,” spokeswoman Martha Parham said. “What it really entails is looking at our environmental footprint and how we can reduce it.”

The Build Green Incentive Program, which Costa Mesa launched in September, waives planning and permit fees for builders who install solar panels, skylights and other conservation technology. The district aside, the city has netted only a handful of takers for the package, with one homeowner planning to build a green house from scratch and a few others looking to make minor fixes.

Still, Khanh Nguyen, the building official who co-chairs the incentive program, considers it a solid enough start. And the district, he said, can set an example for others to follow.

“I’ll probably give them an award at a City Council meeting or something, just to encourage other people to do the same,” Nguyen said.

The new headquarters will include control systems for lighting, heat and air conditioning, clear stories that provide additional daylight, reclaimed water and sustainable interior materials. On the north end of the property, the district plans to install a carport with 616 solar panels on the roof — a feature that project architect Tim Bundy said would cut the building’s energy bill by a third.

The district hopes to get the headquarters certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, a nationwide nonprofit that rates buildings for environmental benefits. If approved, the project would be the first LEED-certified building in Costa Mesa.

Meanwhile, the city is trying to rouse as much support for the Build Green Incentive Program as it can. Nguyen and Principal Planner Willa Bouwens-Killeen have taken out ads in the Penny Saver and other publications, and they sent out a flier last month to all Costa Mesa residents who received bills from the Mesa Consolidated Water District.

“It’s a first-year program, so we don’t expect people to be knocking down the door to pull permits,” Nguyen said. “But we expect a lot more activity in the next year.”

MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at michael.miller@latimes.com.