A Comprehensive Green Building Code

For years, building owners and property managers were left with little uniform guidance in terms of green building standards. Whose guidelines do you follow? Do you adhere to ASHRAE 189.1: “Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings?” Or do you stick to the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) from the International Code Council (ICC)? What about the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program? And then there is the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES). It has been very confusing until early 2014, when the aforementioned five organizations came together to create a Comprehensive Green Building Code, which is set to be released in 2018.

Comprehensive Green Building Code: A Coordinated Effort from Five Industry Organizations

According to a press release issued by ASHRAE earlier this year: “The agreement outlines the development, maintenance, and implementation of new versions of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES/USGBC Standard 189.1, and the IgCC, which will be combined into one regulatory tool. This agreement also endeavors to align the LEED program with the new code to ensure a streamlined, effective set of regulatory and above-code options for jurisdictions across the country.”

The new, comprehensive green building code is designed to eliminate confusion, give building owners and property managers a uniform set of standards from which to follow, and further advance green building practices. No longer will building owners and designers be forced to pick and choose the guidelines they feel are best. With a comprehensive code in place much of the guesswork is taken out of the equation.

As green codes become more and more important, this could easily be adopted by the federal government or by states.

Crockett Facilities Services, Inc. (CFSI): An MSCA GreenSTAR Company

To improve the performance of your building, you need to align yourself with a mechanical contractor with a proven track record of reducing energy usage though HVAC preventive maintenance services.

In 2012 CFSI earned the Mechanical Service Contractors of America (MSCA) GreenStar National Designation for Environmental Excellence, joining an elite group of mechanical contractors who have clearly demonstrated environmental responsibility and a commitment to energy-saving practices. The MSCA GreenStar designation is a very exclusive designation given to less than 1% of HVACR contractors.

By selecting an MSCA GreenSTAR qualified contractor, you will receive unparalleled workmanship from the industry’s most skilled and qualified technicians. CFSI can help you:

• Reduce your building’s energy consumption
• Perform energy audits
• Increase net operating income
• Benchmark your buildings’ energy performance
• Track and improve energy efficiency across your entire portfolio of buildings.

To learn more about the new Comprehensive Green Building Code or how you can improve the performance of your commercial facility, please contact CFSI at 202.600.2787 or sales@crockett-facilities.com. Even if you have an in-house maintenance or engineering team, we can supplement your maintenance needs with our comprehensive heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC), custodial, energy management, and data center cooling services.

Like us on Facebook; follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+.

Sources:

Coordinating a Green Building Code

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 4th, 2014 at . Both comments and pings are currently closed.