The International Code Council has announced its intent to
initiate a Green Building Code Development Project targeted at the commercial
market. The objective of this new project is to develop a Green Building Code
for traditional and high-performance buildings that is consistent and
coordinated with the ICC family of Codes and Standards.
The code will provide a new regulatory framework built with leading recognized
rating systems in mind, as well as criteria to drive green building into
everyday practice.
This decision builds on a series of actions that began in the 1970s with the
creation of the International Energy Conservation Code. More recent Code
Council green initiatives include: signing a Memorandum of Understanding with
the U.S. Green Building Council; issuing the National Green Building Standard
in partnership with the National Association of Home Builders; creating
professional development, including training and certification, to address
green systems and approaches; and creating a Sustainable Building Technology
Committee, a Code Council Board initiative.
According to Code Council CEO Richard P. Weiland, “It has become clear to us
that to advance the goal of achieving more sustainable building performance,
some regulatory framework is needed for areas where market forces are not
enough. We face challenges not only with new construction, but with existing
buildings and how we can increase their levels of safety and sustainability
over time.”
“We have arrived at an opportune time to build on the information and resources
available to us to design a useable code as a model for green building
programs,” said Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia. “We plan to use the
same principles that have made the Code Council family of codes so successful,
which is the development of model regulatory material that is consistent,
coordinated and developed in a consensus process.”
The code likely will address energy efficiency (including solar and other
advanced technologies), water use efficiency, materials and resource use
conservation, indoor environmental quality and overall building impact on the
environment. It will be developed under the Council’s governmental consensus
process. The Code Council will seek the collaboration of key partners along
with input from its members and stakeholders. This coordinated approach will
ensure that code officials, design professionals and other industry experts
will have a prominent and appropriate role in the development process.
The initial approach will include the following components:
* The
new code will focus on the commercial market.
*Residential
issues will be addressed through ICC 700, known as the National Green Building
Standard.
*The
development approach will be the same used for any new I-Code:
--Convene a select drafting committee;
--Invite public comment on the initial
draft;
--Place the final draft into the Code
Council Code Development Process.
An initial planning session
to discuss the scope of the project was held on Earth Day, April 22, in Chicago
with experts in the area of green building science. Feedback for the May 4 Code
Council Board of Directors meeting regarding this project is encouraged and
requested. Ongoing input is also encouraged. Comments may be sent toGreenBuildingCode@iccsafe.
Going forward, the new Sustainable Building Technology Committee will play a
key role. Persons interested in serving on this new Committee should submit
their information towww.iccsafe.org/sbtc.
To track the progress of the Green Code development, visitwww.iccsafe.org.