Codes and Standards
Stay on top of the latest news related to building codes, standards, and regulations with BD+C's Codes and Standards blog. Topics include: green building, seismic design, high-wind design, water conservation, energy efficiency, and building performance tracking and measuring. To submit a topic for consideration, please email David Barista, Editor-in-Chief, at dbarista@sgcmail.com.
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Although federal agencies are reconsidering using LEED as the primary green building standard on government projects, the number of completed federal LEED-certified projects surged from 544 in 2011 to 821 for the first eight months of 2012 — a nearly 51% increase. The government has certified 277...
The U.S. Green Building Councilwill begin the LEED v4 beta testing period in November. In addition, the fifth public-comment period for proposed changes to LEED standards has been launched. Comments on the proposed LEED v4 standards can be made on the USGBC website until December 10. The new green...
San Francisco, where a growing number of residents are being priced out of the housing market by a revived high tech economy, is the latest city to consider so-called “micro apartments.” City officials may adjust the building code to allow the smallest housing micro-units of any US city—150 sf of...
The Environmental Protection Agency's Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Planning Approach Framework released in June provides guidance on development of an "integrated" planto help local governments meet their Clean Water Act obligations. It allows local governments to implement rules...
Water shortages impact many areas of the country, and the use of gray water and rain water is on the rise. Plumbing codes and practices have been refined in recent years to keep up with this trend.
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials’ 83rd annual Education and...
Information technology is becoming a key feature in sustainable design, as energy-consuming systems are being integrated into energy management platforms that take a holistic approach to building performance. The significant efficiency gains that can be realized by these centralized energy...
While green standards for new and substantially renovated buildings garner widespread attention, a less spotlighted standard can impact the sustainability of many more structures. LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED EB:O&M) addresses building exterior and site...
When tracking trends in sustainable design, it’s interesting to see where venture capitalists are investing their money in the environmental sector and how technologies that they are funding might impact sustainability standards. Recent investments in green building are focusing on achieving "...
A wildfire destroyed scores of homes in Kittitas County, Washington, and blazes roared through Colorado Springs and other communities in the parched West this year. These fires struck in areas where development is occurring near forested areas that can become tinder boxes in severe droughts.
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New software and technology are helping construction companies streamline documentation for LEED certification. The New Building Institute (NBI) recently launched the COMNET Energy Modeling portal that gathers energy modeling data from a number of software packages, conducts quality assurance...
