Programs

Building Codes - Washington, DC Area

 

BACKGROUND

IMT's earliest codes work in the region was with the District of Columbia itself. The city's Green Building Act of 2006 required construction code revisions that incorporate "as many green building practices as practicable." As such, the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) contracted with IMT and the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) to prepare a package of green building code amendments based on best practices from around the country. We worked with the Green Building Advisory Council (GBAC) as well as local architects, developers, engineers, trades people, the DC Building Industries Association (DCBIA), government officials, neighboring jurisdictions, and other stakeholders to create a code package that was unanimously endorsed by the GBAC.

The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) included most of the package in its proposed  building codes submitted to the City Council in early October 2008. A new 2008 Construction Code was published in December 26, 2008. Current residential energy codes in the District follow the 2006 IECC with amendments recommended under the 30% Soution. Commercial energy codes follow ASHRAE Standard 90.1 2007.

The District is continuing to improve its codes and standards, pursuing the foundations of a green city consistent with Mayor Gray's call for national leadership in sustainability. Currently, the City Council is convening a forum to improve code compliance, which is to examine issues related to the Green Building Act.

 

 

IMPROVING EXISTING CODES

Washington, DC - 2011

IMT is currently working with the District of Columbia Regulatory Authority (DCRA) to further green the city's 2008 energy codes. IMT provides cost evaluation and technical assistance to a committee which is developing a green overlay code modeled on the International Green Construction Code(IgCC).

The District's codes also suffer from poor enforcement due primarily to a lack of resources. The DC Building Industry Association (DCBIA) and all six of the non-governmental members of the Green Building Advisory Council (GBAC) sent a joint letter calling on DC to devote $2.5 million (or $1.25 million per year) of the ARRA energy money DC received from the US Department of Energy to training, outreach and enforcement of DC's building energy code in an effort to improve compliance.

 

Washington, DC - 2008

IMT helped the District of Columbia develop provisions for its 2008 Construction Code. The new energy codes adopted, as amendments to the International Energy Conservation Code 2006 (IECC 2006), standards from the 30% Solution and ASHRAE 90.1 2007.

The greener 2008 Construction Code mandated improvements in the following key areas: 

- Better water efficiency (low-flow fixtures)
- Commercial energy efficiency requirements 7% higher than Maryland and Virginia's
- Standards for residential energy efficiency align with "The 30% Solution"
- Flat roofs required to be cool, green, or limestone ballasted
- Reduced impediments to green building addressed
- Now easier to disconnect downspouts and retain rainwater on site
- Waterless urinals and green piping no longer require wavers

IMT's Cliff Majersik gave a presentation on January 16, 2009 regarding DC's building energy codes. Read IMT's materials on code compliance and an appeal for stronger codes in the District of Columbia (see Publications & Resources, below)

 

Maryland

IMT helped the state of Maryland write provisions of the Energy Conservation and Efficiency Act, which was signed into law in 2009. The law adopted IECC 2009 as its code standard and accelerated future state and local energy code adoptions. Notably, the law featured automatic adoption if IECC standards, meaning new versions of the IECC will be automatically incorporated into future building codes.

On the county level in the DC area, Rockville, MD is leading the way in greening of local building codes. The Maryland community introduced a revised building ordinance in January 2010 that allowed the incorporation 2009 International Code Council standards. The new regulations were modified to conform to the 30% Solution goals, which aim to dramatically improve the efficiency of energy codes nationwide. Rockville's codes include buliding, energy, and water efficiency requirements and mark the city as a regional leader in green planning.

 

 

REGIONAL CODE COORDINATION

The Chesapeake Crescent Initiative aims to coordinate environemntal policies (including building codes) across Maryland, Virginia, and DC - January 29, 2008 press release

On January 10, 2008, IMT presented on greening building codes to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' (MWCOG) Intergovernmental Green Building Work Group (IGBG). Favorably responding to an IMT proposal, the group issued a letter endorsing a move to strengthen by 30% the national model energy code (2009 International Energy Conservation Code). Find the Meeting Highlights and Slideshow here.

 

 

PUBLICATIONS & RESOURCES

 

 

IN THE NEWS

July 1, 2010: The city of Rockville, MD, saw its revamped buliding codes come into effect. The newer, greener code was modeled after the 2009 International Code Council standards and amended to align with the targets of the 30% Solution. Check out the full buliding codes on the city's website.

December 2008: DC adopted the 2008 District of Columbia Construction Code, raising the bar on energy efficiency, mandating low-flow plumbing fixtures, reducing the urban heat-island effect, and removing impediments to water efficiency from the existing code.

July 17, 2008: California adopts green building codes, mandating recycled materials, low-flow plumbing fixtures, water-efficient la ndscaping and a 15% increase in its already advanced energy efficiency requirements.  The codes become mandatory in 2010 and were supported by the California Building Industry Association.

June 3, 2008: IMT's Cliff Majersik presented at ULI Breakfast on the "Nexus of Politics and Green Building" in downtown DC  - slideshow

May 22, 2008: IMT's Cliff Majersik presented at an ENERGY STAR Networking Meeting for Energy Managers, Building Owners/Managers, Facilities Personnel, and ESCOs at Pepco's DC office - slideshow

February 20, 2008: DC Mayor Fenty joins mayors from around the country in calling for a 30% improvement in building energy codes

 

 

...Find out about all of IMT's work in the nation's capital on our Washington, DC page