In the past several years, we have witnessed Mother Nature wreaking havoc on the built environment humans have created for ourselves – from Hurricane Katrina to earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and Japan to tornadoes in our own backyard. Green building and codes cannot save us from the destruction that natural disasters cause, but they may be able to lend a little extra protection.

Green building and energy codes go beyond basic health and safety. They push us to address social issues, such as accessibility, noise, density stormwater management and more. Best of all, green building and energy codes keep money in our pockets and city coffers by providing an opportunity to save money on energy bills.

So why all the talk about green building and energy codes lately? For one, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 calls for 90% compliance with the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) by 2017. This code addresses wall and ceiling insulation; window and door specifications; heating, cooling and ventilation equipment efficiency and lighting fixtures among other building features. Homes built to IECC 2009 use 18 – 26% less energy than average and can save occupants $337 – $559 per year.

Compliance with IECC 2009 will look different from state to state. Illinois has already adopted IECC 2009 and is on the road towards implementation and energy savings. Missouri does not have a statewide energy code, but several local municipalities have adopted IECC 2009 including Clayton, Florissant, Hazelwood, Kirkwood, Lake St. Louis, St. Charles, St. Louis, Troy and Wentzville.

Adding to the buzz about codes, in 2009 the International Code Council (ICC) launched the development of the new International Green Construction Code (IgCC): Safe and Sustainable by the Book, a model code focused on new and existing commercial buildings addressing green building design and performance. In addition to health and safety of basic building codes and energy use of IECC 2009, IgCC addresses water and resource efficiency; materials use and indoor air quality. IgCC is still under development and will not be published until March 2012.

Want to learn more about IgCC? Join USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter and the St. Louis Chapter of ASHRAE on August 9, 2011 for a lecture by Dave Bowman, Manager of Codes for the International Code Council’s Codes and Standards Group. Dave will explore the theory, intent, and general structure of IgCC. He will also discuss the fundamental differences between mandatory and voluntary adoptions and enforcement as well as how IgCC relates to other green building programs and standards.

Learn more about the program here.

If you’re a local government official or employee and would like to attend the program FOR FREE, contact Emily Andrews at 314-577-0854 or emily.andrews@mobot.org.

Resources:

Green Codes 101: Navigating the Codes, Standards, and Rating Systems Webinar developed collaboratively by USGBC, AIA, ICC and ASHRAE

Missouri Local Energy Code Action Kit developed by the Building Code Assistance Project

US Department of Energy – Building Energy Codes Program

International Green Construction Code

California has recently adopted the nation’s first mandatory statewide green building standards code. The code known as CALGREEN will take effect on January 1, 2011. It is a regulatory code affecting state regulated buildings and structures, including residential and commercial buildings, such as hospitals and schools. The code includes such requirements as a 20% reduction in indoor and outdoor water usage, a 50% construction waste diversion from landfills, mandatory inspections of energy systems to ensure maximum efficiency and the use of low-emitting finish materials.

In order to determine which of the code provisions are applicable to a specific occupancy the following steps are recommended:

1. Establish type of occupancy.
2. Verify which state agency has authority.
3. Reference the code chapter that covers the established occupancy.
4. Consult the Matrix Adoption Table to identify the mandatory green building measures necessary to meet the minimum requirements.
5. Review the Voluntary Tier Measures and determine inclusion of those measures.
6. Complete the Application Checklist to identify which measures are required and which voluntary items have been implemented.
7. Documentation of conformance for applicable green building measures shall be provided to the enforcing agency for verification

According to a press release, California’s property owners will simply build per the state’s new CALGREEN Code and will in turn receive a no cost green certification. The certification will be known as CALGREEN Tier 1 or CALGREEN Tier 2. It is stated that this mandatory code will allow builders to build to a certifiable green standard without having to pay costly fees for third-party programs. The intention is for local and state building inspectors to verify these mandatory code provisions. Stating that verification of the green code will be a ‘simple transition’ for local building inspectors.

The reaction of several environmental groups and green builders are mixed regarding this issue. At the national level, USGBC has expressed concern over certain provisions of the new code, while supporting many of its measures. Groups such as the Sierra Club, the National Resources Defense Council and Global Green largely applaud the code’s mandatory rules as a minimum baseline standard. However, they take issue with its two-tier labeling system, saying it will be open to conflicting interpretations and unenforceable by local building inspectors. The director of USGBC’s Northern California Chapter says “The tiers cause confusion in the marketplace and the potential for builders to label their buildings green without substantiating their claims”. Elizabeth Echols goes on to say that many local officials who would be responsible for verifying builder claims do not have the technical expertise that LEED and other third-party verifiers provide.

It will be interesting to see how the implementation, enforcement and verification of this code develops as the draft is finalized and submitted for publication.

To view a draft copy of the code, click on the following link:

http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/bsc/documents/2010/Draft-2010-CALGreenCode.pdf

- Submitted by Barbara Anderson, a member of the USGBC-STL Advocacy Committee and an architect at AAIC.