The California Green Building Standards Code (CALGREEN), a first-of-its-kind statewide green building code, will achieve major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and energy and water consumption. The code, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2011, requires mandatory inspections for energy-using systems for non-residential buildings over 10,000 square feet. It also requires every new building in California to reduce water consumption by 20 percent, divert 50 percent of construction waste from landfills and install low pollutant-emitting materials.
The California Building Standards Commission will oversee the code, which is expected to help California reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 3 million metric tons by 2020.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have announced the creation of the State Energy Efficiency (SEE) Action Network. This network is meant to help states achieve maximum cost-effective energy efficiency improvements in offices, buildings and industry by 2020. Strengthening energy efficiency initiatives across the country helps to save money and protect the environment at the same time.
Through the Network, DOE, EPA and other member organizations will assist states with their energy efficiency initiatives, including financing solutions and improving availability of energy use information. It will address the full range of challenges to implementation by providing targeted technical assistance to states in order to reach ambitious national energy goals.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has published Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. Developed in conjunction with the United States Green Building Council and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, the new green code is intended to provide significant energy savings over ASHRAE's 90.1-2007 code. Standard 189.1 provides minimum requirements for siting, design and construction of high-performance, green buildings.
The standard was developed with an American National Standards Institute-accredited process. According to Gordon Holness, ASHRAE's president, more than 1,000 authorities having jurisdiction have already expressed interest in adopting Standard 189.1 into their building codes.
The code also forms the cornerstone of the new International Green Construction Code (IGCC), the result of a collaboration between ASHRAE and the International Code Council that "broadens and strengthens building codes" to increase the construction of high performance green buildings, according to ASHRAE.
EPA is in the final stages of development for its Energy Star program for data centers. The program, which EPA expects to release in June, will use the same 1 to 100 rating scale used for commercial buildings, with a rating of 75 earning an Energy Star label. The Energy Star for Data Centers program will build on EPA's existing rating for x86 servers, as well as two programs also in the works for storage equipment and uninterruptible power supplies.
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Green Building News: California Greenin', New Model Green Building Code, Speeding Energy Efficiency and Energy Star for Data Centers
