After three years of development, on March 28, 2012, the International Code Council (“ICC”) announced the release of its 2012 International Green Construction Code (“IgCC”). The IgCC, a milestone for bringing sustainability into the mainstream, will enable state and local governments to codify green building practice. The IgCC was developed by the ICC in cooperation with key industry partners – the AIA, ASTM International, ASHRAE, the U.S. Green Building Council (“USGBC”), and the Illuminating Engineering Society (“IES”).
The ICC touts the IgCC as the first model code to address sustainability issues throughout the entire life of a construction project – from design to certificate of occupancy. Richard P. Weiland, CEO of the ICC, described the IgCC to GlobeSt.com as “a baseline document or regulatory framework that different jurisdictions can use for sustainable construction practices.” Wieland further explained that the ICC incorporates the 2011 version of the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES/USGBC Standard 189.1 but allows state and local governments to be flexible in implementation.
More, after the jump.
A press release from the USGBC, maker of the LEED green building certification system, lauded the model code as an important policy option for localities. According to the USGBC, the IgCC is a complement to LEED that allows state and local governments “to share many of the benefits of green buildings with the millions of buildings that are designed, constructed and renovated to meet minimum code, whether or not they are engaged in the LEED program.”
As jurisdictions begin to consider adopting the IgCC, training and resources will be available from the ICC and its partners. The AIA’s announcement states that it has analyzed the IgCC’s impact on the architectural profession and will be releasing a guide in May 2012. The ICC’s Green Building guide, which it claims is the construction industry’s first support publication referencing the 2012 IgCC, is currently available here.