Industry Groups move toward Unified Green Building Model Code in 2018
By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor
An alliance of building industry groups is working to unify ASHRAE's Standard 189.1 for High-Performance Green Buildings with ICC's International Green Construction Code (IgCC) into a single model code.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the International Code Council (ICC), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society, and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) are involved in the project. The integrated document is known as the “IgCC powered by 189.1.”
The document will be designated the 2018 version of the IgCC, and will be published in the summer of 2018. The objective is to provide basic criteria for energy efficiency, resource conservation, water safety, land use, site development, indoor environmental quality, and building performance that can be widely adopted.
Local jurisdictions will be able to use this model as a platform for new regulatory mandates. ASHRAE's process for proposed changes to the standard will wrap up this summer. Final addenda are undergoing public review now.