flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

New California law means commercial building benchmarking program will be implemented

Codes and Standards

New California law means commercial building benchmarking program will be implemented

Multifamily housing to be included, a first for a U.S. state.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | October 9, 2015
New California law means commercial building benchmarking program will be implemented

Pioneer Building Loft Apartments in San Diego. The state's benchmarking program will be expanded to cover large multifamily housing. Photo: Joe Wolf/Creative Commons

California Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed AB 802 into law, which means the state’s building benchmarking program will be implemented.

Under this law, the benchmarking program will be expanded to cover large multifamily housing, making California the first state in the country with a benchmarking program spanning both building sectors. It will also give owners of residential and commercial buildings their total energy usage information.

This data will make it easier for owners to make decisions about energy efficiency and renewable investments to improve building performance. The bill also directs state agencies to double their efforts to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and businesses throughout the state.

That requirement, along with another that directs all electricity providers in the state to get at least 50% of their supply of electricity from renewable resources like wind and solar by no later than 2030, is predicted to cut carbon pollution in the power sector close to 40% below 2020 forecast levels.

Related Stories

| Sep 8, 2011

Revised Building Codes Adopted After WTC Attacks Being Implemented

U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) code revision recommendations in the wake of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks are being implemented in new high-rise construction including One World Trade Center, the lead building of the new World Trade Center complex. 

| Sep 8, 2011

New Sustainability Standard Addresses Disaster Resistance

To aid local governments to adopt high-performance green building codes, the Portland Cement Association (PCA) and the Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) have developed High Performance Building Requirements for Sustainability 2.0. 

| Sep 8, 2011

Pilot ISO 50001 Implementations Report Big Energy Savings

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently published ISO 50001 to provide a recognized framework for integrating energy performance into management practices. 

| Sep 8, 2011

USGBC Revises Energy Demand Response Credit

Originally launched in 2010, the revised and enhanced Demand Response Pilot Credit establishes guidelines that are anticipated to increase participation in automated energy demand response programs.  

| Sep 8, 2011

Water Safety in Buildings Guide Published by World Health Organization (WHO)

This WHO book provides guidance for managing water supplies in buildings where people may drink water, use water for food preparation, wash, shower, swim or use water for other recreational activities or be exposed to aerosols produced by water-using devices, such as cooling towers. 

| Sep 7, 2011

NFPA Fire & Life Safety Conference in December

Presentations on recent Fire Protection Research Foundation projects, how September 11th and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire affected high rise design, and a panel discussion on emerging code issues will be featured at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)’s Fire & Life Safety Conference on December 12-14 in Orlando, FL.The meeting will include more than 60 educational sessions in which participants can earn continuing education units (CEUs). Presentations will be led by NFPA staff experts and technical committee members, and will be organized in four tracks – building and life safety, detection and alarm, fire suppression, and codes and standards. For more information, visit www.nfpa.org/FLSCONF.  

| Sep 1, 2011

Project Aims to Automate Code Compliance Assessment

FIATECH, a consortium of owners from the industrial, power, and retail markets that build large structures, launched a project this year to validate the use of automation technology for code compliance assessment, and to accelerate the regulatory approval process using building models. Long-term objectives include the development of an extensive, open-source rule set library that is approved by industry and regulatory bodies for use by technology developers and code officials.

| Sep 1, 2011

EPA Says Additional Lead Paint Cleaning Rules Not Necessary

The EPA has concluded that current Lead: Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program (LRRP) cleaning requirements and lead-safe work regulations are sufficient to protect the public from lead dust hazards. “Our members have been instrumental in contacting legislators to detail the detrimental impact of the current LRRP," says Richard Walker, American Architectural Manufacturers Association’s president and CEO. “This collective industry voice has prompted the EPA to make the responsible decision to refrain from adding further, unnecessary costs to homeowners under the current economic climate."http://www.aamanet.org/news/1/10/0/all/603/aama-commends-its-members-congress-for-vacating-lrrp-clearance-rule

| Aug 11, 2010

Best AEC Firms of 2011/12

Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




Government Buildings

OSHA’s proposed heat standard published in Federal Register

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a proposed standard addressing heat illness in outdoor and indoor settings in the Federal Register. The proposed rule would require employers to evaluate workplaces and implement controls to mitigate exposure to heat through engineering and administrative controls, training, effective communication, and other measures.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021