Environmental Design + Construction - January 2009 - (Page 10)

NOTE Cracking the Codes Another green building code made headlines. It’s happening all over the place. Washington, D.C., not only encourages green design and construction, but plans to enforce it via building code. The Boston zoning commission recently approved amendments to require projects to be designed to meet LEED certification. Last summer, California adopted The California Green Building Standards Code (CCR, Title 24, Part 11). It makes sense to have a greener baseline code. However, I’m hopeful to see more streamlined — and nationwide — building codes in the future. Proposed Standard 189.1, currently under development by ASHRAE, USGBC and IESNA, might address just that. Proposed Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of HighPerformance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, will provide minimum requirements for the design of high-performance new commercial buildings and major renovation projects by addressing energy efficiency, a building’s impact on the atmosphere, sustainable sites, water-use efficiency, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. everyone supports the LEED rating system. How would we go about choosing which one to adopt? Even after one is selected, how watered down would the standard have to be so as to be effective in both the icy north and arid southwest without turning their respective construction industries on their heads? In my opinion, rating systems help to push the envelope. They should remain a tool for market transformation, not a tool for full-market compliance. And they need to retain the ability to react to changing industry needs. Instead, municipalities might consider using one rating system or another as a template that can be adapted to their specific local needs. EDITOR’S A Bigger Reach Do we want to enforce stricter compliance to green? Absolutely. Greener codes are necessary to improve our built environment. We need to get tougher energy and water efficiency targets built into current codes, but only if they make sense for that region/municipality. And while we’re at it, we all need to continue to look for and specify products that exceed today’s standard building codes. Because, as we all know, “built to code” is code for “the worst building you can legally build.” What is your city or state doing to encourage, initiate or enforce green building? Log on to our enviroBlog at www. EDCmag.com and share your stories. Until next time, Rating System as Code? But where do we draw the line? Should the standards set forth in a rating system be the new “baseline” standard for new buildings? Sure, it might sound nice, but it’s not exactly ideal. Can one single national standard really be effective for every possible building type in every region of the country? Take LEED, for example. With good intention aside, adopting LEED (or another green building rating system) as code is probably not the way to address our nation’s changing environmental problems. Including LEED as a building code or standard could cause (and already has caused) some concern. Plus, not Michelle 2401 W. Big Beaver, Suite 700 | Troy, MI 48084 | 248.362.3700 | www.EDCmag.com ADVERTISING + SALES Group Publisher Diana Brown brownd@bnpmedia.com Phone: 248.244.6258 Fax: 248.244.3911 Editor Michelle Hucal, LEED AP hucalm@bnpmedia.com Phone: 248.244.1280 Managing Editor Derrick Teal teald@bnpmedia.com Phone: 248.786.1645 Fax: 248.283.6560 Associate Editor Joseph Mayton maytonj@bnpmedia.com Phone: 248.786.1586 Fax: 248.502.2126 National Sales Manager Jami Brownlee brownleej@bnpmedia.com Phone: 248.786.1657 Fax: 248.502.2065 National Sales Manager Heather Jenkins jenkinsh@bnpmedia.com Phone: 248.244.6444 Fax: 248.786.1397 National Sales Manager Elizabeth Obloy obloye@bnpmedia.com Phone: 248.244.6452 Fax: 248.244.3947 Reprints + Classified Sales Kristina Lorio loriok@bnpmedia.com Phone: 248.786.1579 Fax: 248.502.2140 ART + PRODUCTION Art Director Shannon Nieman niemans@bnpmedia.com Production Manager Jeff Bagwell bagwellj@bnpmedia.com Phone: 248.244.6481 Fax: 248.283.6589 Marketing Manager Brooke Geisz geiszb@bnpmedia.com AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Audience Development Coordinator Hayat Ali-Ghoneim alih@bnpmedia.com Multimedia Manager Katie Jabour jabourk@bnpmedia.com Audience Audit Coordinator Carri Cypert cypertc@bnpmedia.com Subscription Information or Service Phone: 847.763.9534 Fax: 847.763.9538 EDC@halldata.com ED+C’s use of Rolland Enviro100 Print instead of virgin fibers paper reduced its ecological footprint by: Tree(s): 99 Solid waste: 6,310 lbs Water: 59,555 gal Air emissions: 13,856 lbs Natural gas: 14,439 feet3 Suspended particles in the water: 39.9 lbs BNP Media Helps People Succeed in Business with Superior Information List Rentals For postal information please contact Rob Liska at 800-223-2194 x726 or email him at robert.liska@edithroman.com For email information please contact Shawn Kingston at 800-409-4443 x828 or email her at shawn.kingston@epostdirect.com CORPORATE DIRECTORS Timothy A. Fausch, Publishing | David M. Lurie, Publishing | John R. Schrei, Publishing Christine A. Baloga, Audience Development | Steve M. Beyer, Custom Media | Rita M. Foumia, Corporate Strategy Scott Kesler, Information Technology | Vince M. Miconi, Production | Lisa L. Paulus, Finance Michael T. Powell, Creative | Douglas B. Siwek, Marketing | Nikki Smith, Directories Beth A. Surowiec, ClearSeas Research | Marlene J. Witthoft, Human Resources | Scott A. Wolters, Conferences & Events PROUD MEMBER SBIC BPA WORLDWIDE MEMBERSHIP 10 ed+c J A N UA R Y 09 http://www.EDCmag.com http://www.EDCmag.com http://www.EDCmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Environmental Design + Construction - January 2009

Environmental Design + Construction - January 2009 Contents Web TOC Editor's Note Newsline New + Notable Civic Responsibility Readers’ Choice Awards Success Story 2009 Manufacturer Spotlights Feeling Right at Home Marketplace + Classifieds Advertiser's Index Parting Shot

Environmental Design + Construction - January 2009

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.