by Shane Henson — September 5, 2011—Facilities teams working in buildings throughout Florida, North Carolina, Oregon, Scottsdale, Arizona and other parts of the United States may notice their buildings are even more sustainable and energy efficient as a result of their communities focusing on safe and sustainable construction as determined by The International Code Council’s International Green Construction Code (IgCC), a regulatory tool created to increase energy efficiency and complement voluntary green building rating systems.
Florida has adopted the IgCC as an option for the retrofitting and new construction of all state-owned facilities. Previously, Florida law did not recognize any kind of green construction code, only voluntary rating systems. The legislation specifically allows the IgCC to be used by the Department of Management Services and encourages state agencies to adopt the IgCC as a model green building code that will apply to buildings financed by the state, including county, municipal, school districts, water management districts, state universities, community colleges and state court buildings.
The North Carolina Building Code Council adopted the Rainwater Collection and Distribution Systems section of the International Green Construction Code Public Version 1.0 with amendments, which is expected to enhance the North Carolina Plumbing Code Appendix on Rainwater. The state’s plumbing code is based on the International Plumbing Code with North Carolina amendments and is already in use throughout the state.
The 2011 Oregon Commercial Reach Code features energy-related provisions of the IgCC Version 2.0 with amendments. The IgCC was flexible enough to adapt to Oregon’s needs and integrate with the existing I-Codes that the state currently uses. The State of Oregon Building Codes Division developed the optional “reach code” that includes construction methods and technology to increase energy efficiency. Builders across the state can now use this optional code to develop high-performance new construction projects as well as retrofits.
In Scottsdale, Arizona, the IgCC will replace and update the city’s voluntary commercial green-building program in an effort to encourage developers of commercial and multifamily buildings to pursue green development projects.
