July 28, 2008—The California Building Standards Commission recently adopted a statewide green building code that the state claims is the first in the nation, according to a report from the US Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
The new California Green Building Standards Code contains standards for single-family homes, health facilities, and commercial buildings and will encourage builders to reduce the energy use of their structures to 15% below the energy use that is achieved with the state’s mandatory energy efficiency standards.
The standards also address on-site renewable energy use, water consumption, green building materials, indoor air quality, and other measures. The new standards will become mandatory for housing in 2010 but are currently optional for all buildings, allowing time for the building industry and local building code officials to adjust to the new standards. After 2010, the green building standards will updated annually.
