California Introduces Statewide Green Building Code
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.19.08
Where LEED Once Led: California Has A Conservation Rush.
California has proposed a new statewide building code aimed at improving energy efficiency and water consumption.
In what was described as the United States' first statewide "green" building rules, the California Building Standards Commission said the code would help reduce the carbon footprint of every new structure in the state.Via::Inquirer.net, Agency France Presse.
The Commission proposal is still in the public comment period, but let's assume that something resembling what was proposed will be made final in the winter of 2009. What does it mean; what's next?
Goals of the new code include: 50 percent landscape water conservation reduction; energy use of new structures are 15%t better than under existing standards; and, greater use of recycled materials.
That the strict formaldehyde off-gassing limits proposed might make it hard for FEMA to respond with trailers in an emergency could be a possible drawback. (Joking)
Governor Schwarzenegger had this to say in a press release:
“By adopting this first-in-the-nation statewide green building code, California is again leading the way to fight climate change and protect the environment. This is literally a groundbreaking move to ensure that when we break ground on all new buildings in the Golden State we are promoting green building and energy efficient new technologies. Cars and buildings are two of the leading users of energy – we’re already addressing cars, and these new building standards will ensure that California remains at the forefront of reducing our carbon footprint and conserving valuable natural resources while also protecting our economy. We have already committed to making our state-owned buildings more green and energy efficient and this statewide code will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency and conserve water in all new buildings.Here's how things will proceed.
“With today’s action, California continues to lead the nation and I commend the hard work of the Building Standards Commission to adopt the first-in-the-nation statewide green building standards.”
Proposed codes made final by 2009.
Handful of other states copy it inside of a year.
You'll hear about it on NPR.
USGBC will grumble a bit, and then adapt to state and regional needs.
Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck will characterize it as "________"
In a year or two (say by mid-2010) there will be minor amendments to make the codes more effective.
Congress Critters will propose incentives for other states to do similar code revisions. Builders will lobby against that, claiming it is unconstitutional to mess with codes at the Federal level.
The US will become a patchwork of green building and zoning issues and stay that way unless by voluntary collaboration led by Governors.
The full draft of California's newly proposed building codes can be downloaded here, as pdf file.
More about needed changes to state and local building codes:
Big Steps in Building: Change our Building Codes from Relative to ...
Siting in the Hurricane Zone: a Green Building Challenge
Big Steps In Building: Make LEED Mandatory for Condos
Big Steps in Building: Install Gray Water Recovery Everywhere ...
Image credit::Building Green, San Francisco
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- 3 Green Pre-Conditions for a Big Three Bailout
- Alter Eco Headquarters Receives LEED Platinum Certification
- Pink is the New Green
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Building codes make special interest groups very rich and have put the screws to the middle class.
One size simply doesn't fit all -especially in building codes.
I have Amish neighbors who are required by law (because of code) to have wiring and plumbing in their homes.
The electric doesn't work and neither does the plumbing. They still use oil lamps & outhouses. The only benefit was to the electricians and plumber's unions.
This is still America & if my neighbor wants to live in a teepee and shit in a 5 gallon sawdust ucket it's nobody's business.
@ granny miller - I agree with you to a certain extent.
However, proper water and sewer lines, as well as fire codes, are established to preserve the health and well-being of not just your home, but your neighbors. If your neighbor were not required to have operational sewer lines, who would you turn to when that stinky soggy sawdust starts piling up taller than your fence? Would you just shrug your shoulders after your home burns down because their teepee wasn't constructed of fire-resistant materials?
I agree in rural areas it might be unreasonable to impose the same sort of restrictions that are imposed in the urban environment; however I do not think we need to regress back to a time where people dumped buckets of waste out the window on to the sidewalks.
Don't get me wrong, I love green building; that's what I do -- BUT, new green buildings are "additive" to global warming. Governor S., and all our elected leaders, should be saving the biggest incentives for the energy efficient retrofit of "existing buildings". New green buildings are typically only a little bit more efficient than new non-green, code-compliant ones. If you believed all the press that new green buildings are getting, you'd think they were the holy grail, when in fact they contribute to the global warming problem - "just not as much as non-green buildings". I've posted a bit more on this at http://www.greenjoe.com