More jurisdictions are utilizing the new International Green Construction Code as a tool to address sustainable construction for new and existing buildings. Fort Collins, Colo., and Kayenta Township, Ariz., are the most recent in a series of local and state governments that have adopted the IGCC, according to the International Code Council. These two actions follow earlier adoptions by Richland, Wash. and the state of Rhode Island. Fort Collins is the first jurisdiction in Colorado to adopt the IGCC and Kayenta is the first Native American tribal adoption and the first jurisdiction in Arizona to adopt the IGCC. The Code Council expects several more state and local adoptions of the IGCC within the next few months.
In March, the Fort Collins City Council voted to approve significant extractions from the IGCC and the National Green Building Standard, ICC 700, as part of green building code amendments to the city's building codes, which already includes nine I-Codes. The effective date for the provisions is January 2012.
Kayenta adopted the IGCC Public Version 2.0 on a voluntary basis and the code may be incorporated into the community’s Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Kayenta adopted the code with specific requirements related to greenfields, conservation areas, and agricultural land.
“The emergence of green building codes and standards is an important next step to provide communities with the opportunity to build sustainable and safe buildings,” Richard P. Weiland, International Code Council Chief Executive Officer said. “We are pleased to recognize Kayenta Township and the Navajo Nation as the first Native American community in the United States to adopt the International Green Construction Code and Fort Collins for being the first jurisdiction in Colorado to adopt the code."
The IGCC applies to new and existing, traditional and high-performance commercial buildings. It includes ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1 as a compliance option. Coordinated with the ICC family of codes, the IGCC is designed to go beyond traditional code requirements for communities that are pursuing safe and sustainable construction.
The IGCC Public Version 2.0 offers a Zero Energy Performance Index (zEPI), requiring buildings to use no more than 51 percent of the energy allowable in the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code.
Examples of provisions in Public Version 2.0 include:
- A 20 percent water savings beyond U.S. federal standards for water closets in residential settings
- New requirements for identification and removal of materials containing asbestos
- Land use regulations including new provisions addressing flood risk, development limitations related to “greenfields,” use of turf grass and minimum landfill diversion requirements
- Clarification of responsibilities from the registered design professional to the owner to prevent potential conflicts with state and local requirements
- Greater consistency with industry standards for air handling systems
The IGCC’s cooperating sponsors are the American Institute of Architects (AIA), ASTM International, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the U.S. Green Building Council, and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).
IGCC will be published in 2012 after code development hearings in May and final hearings in November.
About the International Code Council
The International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety, fire prevention and energy efficiency, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states choose the International Codes, building safety codes developed by the International Code Council. The International Codes also serve as the basis for construction of federal properties around the world, and as a reference for many nations outside the United States.
Related Stories
| Mar 30, 2011
As more commercial buildings go green, a few go net-zero
In theory there’s a big pot of money that entrepreneurs with net-zero ambitions can draw from. Each year, more than $600 billion is spent on new construction and renovation of commercial buildings, but adding the technology to commercial buildings—which use 40% of the country’s energy and make up 40% of its greenhouse gas emissions—is a challenge.
| Mar 29, 2011
City's design, transit system can ease gas costs
Some cities in the U.S. are better positioned to deal with rising gas prices than others because of their design and transit systems, according to CEOs for Cities, a Chicago-based nonprofit that works to build stronger cities. The key factor: whether residents have to drive everywhere, or have other options.
| Mar 29, 2011
Read up on Amazon.com's new green HQ
Phase IV of Amazon’s new headquarters in Seattle is nearly complete. The company has built 10 of the 11 buildings planned for its new campus in the South Lake Union neighborhood, and is on-track for a 2013 grand opening.
| Mar 22, 2011
China releases new guidelines on renewable energy architecture
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development published a circular on renewable energy architecture, stressing broader reach and improved implementation at all levels of government. Of significance: achieving a renewable energy consumption of 20% by 2020; increasing renewable construction to 2.5 billion square meters by the end of 2015; increasing development of green construction and conservation projects and providing subsidies for green city projects.
| Mar 22, 2011
Cities with the most energy efficient buildings: L.A., Houston, Detroit, Dallas
The United States Environmental Protection Agency released its annual list of the top 10 American cities with the most energy efficient buildings—in this case, commercial buildings that have earned an Energy Star rating signifying they consume 35% less energy and release 35% less carbon dioxide than average buildings—and for the third year running, Los Angeles snagged the No. 1 spot.
| Mar 21, 2011
Environmental Protection Agency says D.C. is No. 1 in green
Less than a month after the U.S. Green Building Council gave D.C. top honors for green building, the Environmental Protection Agency has named the District the top green city. The EPA names the District the nation's
| Mar 18, 2011
ESD announces senior management changes
Environmental Systems Design, Inc., an international leader in the design of high performance building systems, announced senior management changes that include Raj Gupta (a member of BD+C's editorial advisory board) becoming the firm’s chief executive officer, replacing Hem Gupta, who remains chairman, and Kurt Karnatz being named president.
| Mar 17, 2011
USGBC collaborates to develop LEED Demand Response Credit
Skipping Stone, Schneider Electric and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory announced today the formation of a committee tasked with enhancing the current Demand Response LEED Pilot Credit. The team will collaborate on enhancing the credit to enable commercial building owners and LEED green building projects to earn credits in LEED for enrolling in utility or wholesale market demand response programs.
| Mar 17, 2011
Carbon footprint of public sector buildings in England and Wales to be released
The energy usage of 40,146 public buildings—including schools, hospitals, and offices—in England and Wales is being released to the public.
| Mar 16, 2011
Foster + Partners to design carbon-neutral urban park for West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong
Foster + Partners has been selected by the board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority to design a massive 56-acre urban park on a reclaimed harbor-front site in Hong Kong. Designed as a carbon-neutral development, “City Park” will seamlessly blend into existing streets while creating large expanses of green space and seventeen new cultural venues.
