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Green Standard Committee Preparing for July Meeting
In preparation for their next meeting in July, members of the consensus committee that is drafting a new residential green building standard are continuing their work via conference call to propose changes and discuss the components of the new document.
NAHB announced in February that it is drafting the standard in cooperation with the International Code Council. The NAHB Research Center, an accredited standards developer, is administering the process using the protocol established by the American National Standards Institute.
The standard will cover all residential construction, including single-family, multifamily and remodeling, as well as residential land development. It is expected to be completed in time for the 2008 International Builders’ Show in Orlando next February.
The committee’s seven task groups have been charged with studying the components of the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines — the foundation document for the new standard – to decide what can be incorporated, what needs to be changed and what new material needs to be added.
“We hope to post all the task group recommendations for changes on the NAHB Research Center Web site by June 18, so no one is caught by surprise” when the full committee reconvenes at the National Housing Center July 9 to 13, Vladimir Kochkin, secretary for the committee, said.
Kochkin, who is also staff liaison for the task force studying resource efficiency and home-owner education, also said that the members of that group are working assiduously on that section of the standard. “We have twice-a week calls” to discuss task group recommendations for changes, he said.
The task force is studying the point system in the new standard and considering recommendations to tie the standard to the latest version of the International Residential Code — a move proposed to establish a uniform minimum baseline for all green building projects across the United States. In communities that build to earlier versions of the code, home builders and code officials would need to adjust to the changes by complying with the recent version of the IRC for certain construction practices.
Task groups are also looking at documentation and how compliance can be demonstrated under the new standard without overburdening the user with excessive paperwork requirements.
But, as the task forces continue their work, Kochkin said that it is important to remember that no decisions have been made yet and that only the full committee can make final decisions. Task force proposals will be discussed at the July meeting and then released for formal public comment through the remaining summer months.
Like all full committee meetings, the July meeting is open to the public.
To follow the standard’s progress, read background information and see a timeline, click here (www.nahbrc.com/gbstandard).
For more information, e-mail Calli Schmidt at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8132.
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