GreenGuard Indoor Air Guardian

 
 
 

Christopher J. Green, AIA,
LEED® AP
2010 Chair Codes and Standards Committee at AIA
 

Christopher J. Green, AIA, is the founding principal of Ago Studios, Inc., a small regionally based strategic architecture firm focusing on design and sustainability for commercial, hospitality and residential clients. Chris holds licenses in Washington State and Colorado and is a LEED accredited professional.

Chris has recently served as Vice Chair of the Sustainable Buildings Technology Committee (SBTC) representing The American Institute of Architects (AIA) with developing the International Green Construction Code (IgCC)—a joint effort of ICC, AIA, and ASTM. He served as the Vice Chair of the IGCC Public Hearing Committee, charged with responding to public comments on Version 1.0 of the IGCC. Mr. Green is the 2010 – 2011 Chair of the AIA Codes and Standards Committee.

January/February 2011



In July 2009, the International Code Council (ICC), with The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and The American Society for the Testing of Materials (ASTM) as its strategic partners, embarked on an ambitious process to develop the first sustainability code of its kind in the country—the “International Green Construction Code (IGCC).” The initial drafting committee was comprised of 28 representatives from around the U.S., including architects, building officials, and professional organizations, including the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the American Society for Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). This code was developed specifically as an overlay code to complement the existing I-code family (IBC, IECC, etc.). The IGCC has been through one round of public hearings and will be subject to a second round this spring, with final adoption hearings by the ICC in the fall. Final publication is expected in 2012, whereupon each state or local jurisdictions must adopt the code for it to be enforceable. Jurisdictions that adopt the IGCC—and, remember, it is a code, not a rating system—set the de facto standard for the baseline minimum of sustainable development for all commercial structures in their communities. 

The IGCC is a comprehensive sustainability code. It addresses site development, land use, material resource conservation, energy conservation, water resource conservation, indoor environmental quality, building commissioning, and existing buildings and sites.

This new code will affect sustainable design in a number of ways. The IGCC mandates responsibilities and performance criteria that a rating system, such as LEED, cannot do. It will affect the practice of the architect in the design, construction phase, and post occupancy evaluation of a project; the construction techniques of contractors; and the manner in which owners are required to operate buildings and monitor their performance. 

The IGCC includes new and innovative concepts, such as jurisdictional electives, project electives, building service life, energy modeling, renewable energy systems, and commissioning. These innovative aspects of the code allow jurisdictions to help define the specific level of sustainability they want as they work toward developing their local or regional vision of sustainability.

This code is a game changer. When adopted by each state and locality, the IGCC becomes a legislative mandate that defines the baseline standard of sustainability in the U.S. It is the foundational sustainable code that moves our country toward meeting the challenge of net zero energy consumption, establishing responsible stewardship of the built environment, and taking control of our energy future.

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