SACRAMENTO, CA — The California Building and Standards Commission has adopted the nation’s first statewide green building code, according to Fire Chief. The code will require builders to include energy efficiency and water conservation elements in every project, well beyond current building standards.
Under the new code, builders will be required to reduce the energy use of their structures by 15% more than today’s standards. It also aims for a 50% reduction in landscape water use. The code will be updated after 2010 to keep up with changing technology, a policy endorsed by the Washington-based U.S. Green Building Council.
“As building codes evolve, it’s also important to ensure that individual builders and communities are free to reach for even higher levels of performance,” said Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC president, CEO and founding chair, in a statement.
More information on the code changes is available at www.bsc.ca.gov/prpsd_stds/default.htm.
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