Article on IgCC from ED+C Magazine

ED+C has written a good overview of the IgCC and the code’s current status. Read more at: http://www.edcmag.com/articles/new-green-codes-gain-momentum

Next Reach Code Committee Meeting 3/30

Reach Code Committee meeting will be on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Building Codes Division, 1535 Edgewater St. NW, Salem, OR 97304 in conference room A.

Oregon Reach Code Committee 3/23 Meeting

There will be a Reach Code committee meeting (agenda), Wednesday, March 23, 2011 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at 1535 Edgewater St NW, Salem, OR 97304 in conference room A. You may also view a the meeting live or watch a recording by going to the Reach Code website: http://www.bcd.oregon.gov/committees/11reachcode.html

Next Blog Post: How the IGCC and LEED compare and complement one another.

IGCC sets sustainable building standards, challenges Architects and developers to do better

Last week, I had the privilege of being interviewed by a film crew from the International Code Council (ICC) about my experience working with the International Green Construction Code (IGCC).

The finished video footage will present an Architect’s perspective to building officials during six nationwide seminars organized by the ICC.

The IGCC is a new building code written for adoption by building departments across the United States. The code sets minimum mandatory standards for sustainable building construction. As I posted in a previous blog, Oregon State is working to adopt the IGCC as a statewide standard.

I believe the IGCC will benefit the industry by:

• complementing the USGBC’s LEED® ratings systems by setting minimum standards for sustainable construction, allowing LEED to raise the bar;
• challenging and encouraging Architects, building owners, developers and contractors to design and construct buildings that are closer to net-zero environmental impact;
• giving Architects a road map and checklist for incorporating sustainable construction best practices into their designs;
• educating and building awareness of sustainability in the design and construction community; and
• allowing local jurisdictions to tailor the code to their community and location.

The IGCC is challenging because:

• 80 percent of Architects in the United States have never worked on a sustainable project. This means a majority of Architects, owners, contractors and building officials need to educate themselves about sustainable construction methodology and benefits; and
• some areas of the country lack the larger systems and supply chains necessary to support sustainable building construction, such as recycling programs, public transportation and walkable communities, and forward-thinking municipal regulations.

I feel strongly, as does the American Institute of Architects (see article here) other organizations sponsoring the development of the code, that the IGCC provides a unique opportunity for Architects to become leaders in sustainable design and construction.

Architects have always taken a holistic approach to design, overseeing and coordinating mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems; structural design; materials selection; building exteriors; space planning and needs assessment; site development and landscaping; and construction.

Due to our involvement in all aspects of development, Architects are well trained to look at a project from all angles. Architects routinely create designs that are financially viable, aesthetically pleasing, usable by occupants, functional and, now, less harmful to the environment. The IGCC helps us do our job better.

2011 Energy Summit in Portland

There will be a Solar Energy Seminar, on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011, designed to educate Architects, Building Enveolpe Consultants, General Contractors and Building Owners on the latest Solar Solutions and Incentive Programs in Portland, Oregon.

Attendance is free, but reservations are required. Visit the following site for more information: 2011 Energy Summit.

Oregon Reach Code Committee Meeting

The Oregon BCD Reach Code Advisory Committee will meet March 2nd, 2011 to begin review of Chapter 7 of the International Green Construction Code. Here’s the link to the Meeting Agenda:
http://www.cbs.state.or.us/bcd/committees/11reachcode/20110302/Agenda_022411.pdf

Oregon Reach Code

Oregon State Senate Bill 79 mandated the development and adoption of a statewide set of optional construction standards that will increase the energy efficiency of buildings. The code, called the Oregon Reach Code, will be based on the newly released International Green Conservation Code (IGCC). The IGCC was developed through a collaboration of the International Code Council (ICC), the US Green Building Council (USGBC), American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The Reach Code will raise the bar for owners and architects pursuing sustainable construction projects. The Reach Code Advisory Committee is in the process of reviewing each chapter of the IGCC and revising the code language to integrate with Oregon building code and reflect the sustainability goals of SB79 and Oregon state. The city of Richland, Washington was the first U.S. city to adopt the code as a document to help the public become familiar with sustainable construction.