A national green-building standard is on the way

With the proliferation of regional and national green-building rating systems, it’s hard to choose the best one. To complicate the situation further, or perhaps to simplify it, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has teamed with the International Code Council (ICC) to craft a national green-building standard (NGBS) that is understandable and enforceable, and has the potential to affect a majority of homes that are being built. The key issue is how.

While some in the greenbuilding movement are afraid that the standard will amount to a “race to the bottom,” others believe it’s a good start. An exact comparison with other green-building guidelines is difficult, but the end result of the standard should be clear. “If it doesn’t result in significant changes to mainstream practice—well beyond code minimums—(the standard) could be counterproductive,” says David Eisenberg, director of the Development Center for Appropriate Technology and a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. “For instance, if this standard doesn’t require compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code as a prerequisite, it will be hard to take seriously as a green standard.” The current draft does not include a provision for meeting the IECC.

The consensus committee for the NGBS is composed of architects, builders, code officials, engineers, environmental advocates, manufacturers, and trade organizations.

Participation by ICC building officials encourages cities and counties to adopt the new standard. It is hoped that ICC’s involvement will help to correlate the standard with building codes, eliminating the need for third-party verification. Some say this will allow any home to be considered green, but proponents note that the NGBS has more substance than some green-rating systems.

The standard is currently a draft open for public comment. Then it will be edited into its final version and become eligible for adoption by local code jurisdictions. If you’d like to influence the outcome of this standard, a second public comment period was scheduled to begin in November. Go to www.nahbrc.org.