Jurisdictions with green-building mandates typically use LEED, SITES, BREEAM or other sustainability protocols that are based on a checklist of best practices. Under a check-list standard, applicants typically earn “points” for meeting a set of prescriptive criteria. In Washington for example, under Chapter 39.35D RCW, public buildings are generally required to obtain the points necessary to… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Green Building
Subscribe to Green Building RSS FeedNew “Green” AIA Contract Forms
Posted in Green BuildingThe American Institute of Architects is planning to issue an additional set of contract forms aimed at sustainable projects in early 2012. The new forms will contain an “SP” after their numbers to reflect their intended use for sustainable projects. The documents will include an Owner-Contractor lump-sum agreement (A101-2007 SP) and general conditions (A201-2007 SP);… Continue Reading
Washington State May Soon Increase Efforts to Enforce High Performance Building Reporting Requirements
Posted in Green Building, High Performance Buildings, SchoolsIn its preliminary report titled “High Performance Buildings: Impact on Energy Use is Mixed” (PDF) issued this spring, the State of Washington Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) concluded “it is too early to make any overall judgments about the long-term effectiveness” of Washington’s high performance public building program. JLARC explained that the “[l]ack… Continue Reading
International Green Construction Code Marches Forward
Posted in Green BuildingThe U.S. Council of Mayors (PDF) recently called on local governments to adopt the International Green Construction Code. Maryland (PDF), Rhode Island, and cities like Richland, Washington (PDF) have already adopted the IGCC. According to the International Code Council, the IGCC’s publisher, “what sets it apart in the world of green building is that it… Continue Reading