CALGREEN: How will the nation’s first statewide green building standards code work with LEED?
Monday, January 18, 2010 at 10:07AM | Bruce Bergman | in Architectural Design News, General Interest, Green Building The California Building Standards Commission, on January 12, 2010, adopted the Green Building Standards Code (CALGREEN) for residential, commercial, and public buildings.
In a press release Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced:
"With this first-in-the-nation mandatory green building standards code, California continues to pave the way in energy efficiency and environmental protection. Today's action lays the foundation for the move to greener buildings constructed with environmentally advanced building practices that decrease waste, reduce energy use and conserve resources…"
CALGREEN, also known as the 2010 California Green Building Standards Code, California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 11, will be mandatory effective on January 1, 2011, at which time it will be enforced by individual city and county building departments throughout California.
Back in 2004 the Governor issued Executive Order S-20-04, also referred to as the Green Building Initiative (GBI). According to the California Department of General Services’ GBI fact sheet:
“The Green Building Initiative challenges state government to demonstrate leadership in energy efficiency and environmental responsibility in state buildings, while also reducing the impact state facilities have on climate change.”
The Governor’s Executive Order was intended to promote cost-effective efficiency measures including:
“Designing, constructing and operating all new and renovated state-owned facilities paid for with State funds as "LEED Silver" or higher certified buildings...”
LEED is a green building certification system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), for providing third-party verification of compliance with defined green requirements.
It is not clear at this time, how CALGREEN will impact the Green Building Initiative with regards to achieving a LEED Silver or higher certification for State-owned buildings.
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