In November 2014, ASHRAE published ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.
The standard, which updates the previous 2011 version, covers site sustainability, water use, energy, indoor environmental quality, and the building’s impact on the atmosphere, materials and resources.
The standard provides states and other jurisdictions a green building standard in mandatory code language. These jurisdictions can adopt Standard 189.1 in whole or in part. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), creators of LEED, supported the development of 189.1 because LEED is a voluntary green building rating system, not intended to be a code. Another green building model code is the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), published by the International Code Council (ICC), which recognizes 189.1 as an alternative compliance standard.
In August 2014, ARCHITECTURAL RECORD reported that the USGBC, ASHRAE, AIA, IES and ICC partnered to harmonize 189.1, IgCC and the LEED rating system. Under this agreement, 189.1 will provide the baseline requirements aligned with LEED prerequisites and the IgCC. The IgCC will provide as an alternate set of prerequisites for LEED. ASHRAE, USGBC and IES will sponsor IgCC, and the ICC and AIA will sponsor 189.1. Integrated development will be managed by a steering committee.
The result will be a streamlined and effective set of regulatory options for jurisdictions across the United States, aligned with LEED. Regulators get the right tool for the job, adopting code-ready language instead of trying to codify LEED. Designers ideally will get less confusion.
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