With the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) expected approval of the National Green Building Standard (NGBS), work is underway to integrate the new standard into local and national green building programs, municipal versions of the International Building Codes, and the memory banks of building inspectors nationwide.
Local NAHB chapters are chomping at the bit. “There were a few HBAs waiting to incorporate the new standard into new [local] green building programs,” says Tom Kennedy, vice president of engineering and research for the NAHB Research Center in Upper Marlboro, Md., who oversaw the yearlong development of the standard for ANSI approval. “Others are considering whether to adopt or update their existing programs [with the NGBS].”
Assisting in both scenarios, as well as offering verifier services, helping create a provider network, and working with the NAHB to build the standard into its National Green Building Program, will keep the Research Center staff busy.
Meanwhile, the International Code Council (ICC), a co-producer of the NGBS, designated the new standard as ICC-700 and will incorporate it into its next code books. ICC will also offer training to familiarize building inspectors with the NGBS as state and local code authorities consider incorporating it into their existing residential, energy, and other appropriate building codes.
For continually updated information about the NGBS and the NAHB’s other green building–related activities, go to www.nahbgreen.org.
