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THE ROLE OF BUILDING CODES & STANDARDS IN A GREEN CONSTRUCTION SECTORBrian BernalMODE Ltd
Caribbean Green Economy Conference,24 February 2015
“If you can
imagine it....
Santiago Calatrava Tenerife Opera House
Split picture
....you can
create it”
Santiago Calatrava Tenerife Opera House
OPPORTUNITIES…..We have an opportunity to reinvent our construction sector and to create a more sustainable built environment by employing…..
• Building Codes• Standards• Green Building Rating
Systems The Ishtar Gate
OPPORTUNITIES…..We have an opportunity to reinvent our construction sector and to create a more sustainable built environment by employing…..
• Building Codes• Standards• Green Building Rating
Systems Kandalama Hotel ,Dambul, Sri Lanka by Geoffrey Bawa
WHAT ARE BUILDING CODES A set of rules that govern and constrain the design, construction, alteration, and repair of buildings and are used to protect the health, safety and welfare of building occupants.• Its the LAW!• Required to be met in order to
secure a permit for construction.• established mandatory minimum
standard of careSTANDARDSIndustry accepted standard of best care/practice , even if not established in code or law
WHY ARE CODES & STANDARDS IMPORTANT IN GREEN ECONOMY?Robust and enforced building codes are highly effective in ensuring a better built environment. When employed in conjunction with “green” building standards &/or practices, will significantly increase the functional resilience of our buildings.
WHY FOCUS ON CODES?• Cost effective method to ensure
high quality buildings• Provide opportunities to leverage
collective knowledge and accepted best practices.
• Have widespread applications across varied scales of buildings
• Are a framework for understanding and adapting to increasing complexity in the intricate systems utilized in modern construction
WHY SHOULD WE BUILD GREEN• Reduced Operating and Life Cycle
Costs:– “Green buildings have been shown to save
money through reduced energy and water consumption and lower long-term operations and maintenance costs.”
• Reduced carbon output• Create a more resilient building
environment• Potential reductions in design and
construction costs– As we gain expertise, our costs should come
down or at least not require a premium investment
• Increased asset value• Promote a healthier living spaces an
more productive workplace environment
Adapted from The Business Case for Green Building
RECOMMENDATIONS:1. Enact the National Building Act
and Enforce the New Building Code (NBC) of JamaicaThe new NBC is a substantive evolution of
the current building practices and will set the new mandatory minimum standard for building projects.
A comprehensive and enforced building code will do more than any other single measure to create a “greener” built environment.
IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007
RECOMMENDATIONS :2. Update Of Codes To 2012 VersionsThe soon to be adopted Building Codes (2003 International Code Council (ICC) codes and Local Application documents) be updated to the 2012 versions of the code.
Sustainability issues are specifically addressed in the Code, these include: Energy Efficiency, Material Selection, Water Use Efficiency and Waste Disposal.
RECOMMENDATIONS :
3. Adopt the International Green Construction Code (IGCC)
• A collaboration of the USGBC, ICC, ASHRAE and AIA.
• Can be a enforceable code and is customizable
• The code was conceived as a compulsory standard
• used in both new and existing building projects
• functions as an “overlay” to existing ICC codes
The adoption of the IgCC as a code would make many green “best practices” mandatory parts of the building approval process.
RECOMMENDATION :4. Support the development of local versions of green building rating systems• Green Building Rating Systems
(GBRS) are voluntary tools for rating the environmental performance of buildings, which are typically verified by a third party, in order to achieve recognition for exemplary design and levels of conservation.
• They are aspirational by intent and attempt to significantly exceed the stipulations in code
RECOMMENDATION :(cont.)• In the Jamaican jurisdiction,
there is no widely accepted standard for evaluating the level of “green” in a project. To address this need, a GBRS should be developed to reflect the specific social, economic and environmental conditions in Jamaica
• This GBRS can be used as a basis for the application of financial incentives and to create “win-win” scenarios that encourages sustainable development
VISION & OPPORTUNITY• Buildings with low Operating and Life
Cycle Costs:• Low carbon output• Resilient to Climate Change• Professionals that understand how to
efficiently design green buildings• A workforce that knows how to build
green• Building Owners that appreciated the
increased value of a green asset • Healthy productive places for people
to live and work
“Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them”
William Arthur Ward.
THE ROLE OF BUILDING CODES & STANDARDS IN A GREEN CONSTRUCTION SECTORBrian BernalMODE Ltd
Caribbean Green Economy Conference,24 February 2015