Green Building is here to Stay

By Richard P. Weiland

Not Just a Flash-in-the-Pan

The World Resources Institute reports that the green building sector is worth $38 billion and growing. Strong, durable and sustainable homes that are safe and affordable have a smaller impact on the world’s limited resources. As in building hurricane- resistant homes, energy efficient green homes may cost more initially, but environmentally-friendly construction saves money in the long run by reducing energy use.

A nationwide study conducted in 2004, by the research and consulting firm, Capital E, found that the additional cost for building green was about $4-5 per square foot and – over 20 years – would result in energy-related savings of about 10 times the value of the initial investment – as much as $65 per square foot. The conclusion: Green building isn’t just a trend that will fade in a few years.

As I travel around the country meeting with colleagues, I see green building practices in place everywhere, from schools in White Plains to public buildings in Rochester to skyscrapers in New York City. More and more, the public is asking for environmentally friendly construction and builders are responding. The International Code Council is responding as well.

International Code Council Approves New Policy Position on Green Building

The International Code Council Board of Directors recently approved a policy position on Green Building and Sustainable Communities to emphasize its commitment to social responsibility
and expand the boundaries of public safety. Building- safety professionals and others in the construction industry can have a positive impact on the environment by advocating for sustainable construction and promoting the environmentally friendly features of the International Codes. The policy outlines several initiatives to support green building, including educating our members and advocating for green building in the legislative, regulatory and code arenas. This policy reinforces the Council’s commitment to the environment and assures that our members play an important role on matters related to green building. The policy calls for the Code Council to participate in activities with other organizations to assure that green building practices are sustainable and safe. Such an effort is already underway through a partnership with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

A National Green Building Standard for Residential Building is Developed

The Code Council and NAHB have joined forces to develop the first-ever residential National Green Building Standard. The standard will make it even easier for builders to adapt to green building methods, techniques and materials. It also will help code officials and building safety professionals to better understand green building features and ensure that such practices are sustainable, safe and affordable. By developing the National Green Building Standard and including green and sustainable construction methods in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), jurisdictions that join the green building movement will have these tools at the ready; builders, designers, contractors and building officials all will benefit. The standard is being developed under the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) guidelines and is expected to be completed in late 2008. The result will be a voluntary green home building standard that can be adopted by local jurisdictions or building departments as a guide for green home building programs.

Green building features include sustainable, durable and low maintenance building design and operation, energy and water efficiency, attention to indoor and outdoor air quality, the use of recycling and conservation in building materials and products, and many more practices. Many of these building methods and techniques are included in the IECC, which has been adopted by at least 15,000 jurisdictions in 38 states, including New York State and New York City. The IECC addresses energy-efficient provisions for residential and commercial buildings, and prescriptive-and performance-based approaches to energy-efficient design. The U.S. Department of Energy references the IECC as the benchmark for onserving resources used in construction and daily living. The compatibility of the I-Codes with green building, combined with the energy-efficient features found in the IECC and the National Green Building Standard under development with NAHB all illustrate the International Code Council’s support of green building.

In a report issued to the International Code Council Industry Advisory Committee by the Task Group on Green Buildings, it concluded that there were very few, if any, serious barriers in the I-Codes that would inhibit green building techniques and methods. As interested parties get involved in the code change process and submit code changes, many green and sustainable materials and methods will be included in the codes. This will further complement the National Green Building Standard and other green building standards in place and being developed around the country.

The Code Council Has Gone Green

The Code Council has “gone green” as well, recently relocating the organization’s world headquarters to the first LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building in Washington, D.C. Its green features include energy efficiency, rainwater collection, high-efficiency heating, cooling and lighting, water-efficient fixtures and waterless urinals, excellent day-lighting, and use of recycled content materials. This move fits in perfectly with the Code Council’s mission of safeguarding the public and demonstrates our commitment to good corporate citizenship.

An initiative underway in all of our offices commits the Code Council to help save energy, reduce landfill waste, take advantage of recycled products and reduce other wasteful habits that are detrimental to the environment. Our “Going Green” initiative will begin with Sustainable Workplace Advocate Teams (SWAT) in each office to coordinate being green and sustainable. The SWATs will explore ideas such as recycling cans, water bottles and paper; using compact fluorescent lamps in place of incandescent lamps; eliminating simultaneous heating and cooling in offices; selecting products such as paper, furniture and carpet made from recycled materials; installing low-consumption plumbing fixtures; and offering incentives to carpool.

It is the responsibility of the International Code Council and its members to make sure that green materials and methods undergo the same scrutiny and procedures that other code-prescribed materials and methods have endured. The public health, safety and general welfare must be safeguarded for green buildings, just as it is for all other buildings. The International Code Council has made a corporate commitment to respect the environment. Green technology is playing an important role in our collective future—not just in the United States but around the world.