Streamlining Green Buildings: USGBC, ASHRAE, ICC, IES, and AIA Collaborate on a Single Code

IGCC

 

In an unprecedented commitment to cooperation, the International Code Council (ICC), U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), American Institute of Architects (AIA), Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), and ASHRAE are collaborating on the next editions of the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), ASHRAE Standard 189.1, and the LEED standard.

The organizations say the effort should encourage the construction of more sustainable buildings. 

“Different partners have different strengths,” says IES director of technology Rita Harrold. “Our organizations working together will result in harmonization of technical, administrative and compliance expertise to produce a single green code, simplifying the choice among design and code options for the using community.”

ASHRAE is revising Standard 189.1, the Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. The goal is to incorporate it with IgCC into one regulatory tool. Another goal is to align that document with LEED. The effort will make compliance and building to green standards easier, the groups say.

The ICC, along with cooperating sponsors AIA and ASTM International, develops the model code for green buildings. The code is intended to be administered by code officials and adopted by governments at any level on a mandatory basis.

The LEED program will also be revised to more closely align with the other groups’ codes and standards.

 

Related Articles


Latest Articles


Changing Scene

  • ABB Among TIME’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies

    ABB Among TIME’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies

    June 30, 2025 ABB has been ranked 14th in TIME’s “World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2025” and third in Switzerland across all industries. TIME and Statista assessed over 5,000 of the world’s largest and most influential companies, considering factors such as revenue, market capitalization, and public prominence. The top 500 companies from 35 countries and 21 industries were… Read More…

  • New Partnership to Deliver 1,000 Affordable Housing Units Across Quebec

    New Partnership to Deliver 1,000 Affordable Housing Units Across Quebec

    June 25, 2025 The governments of Canada and Quebec, together with Desjardins, have announced the construction of 1,000 new affordable housing units over the next three years. These housing units will be created as part of the Desjardins Affordable Housing Initiative, a partnership launched in 2022 that will now enable the delivery of over 3,000 affordable housing units… Read More…

  • CIB Closes $50M Loan with Dream Industrial REIT to Fund Large-Scale Commercial Building Upgrades

    CIB Closes $50M Loan with Dream Industrial REIT to Fund Large-Scale Commercial Building Upgrades

    June 30, 2025 The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and Dream Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust have finalized a $50 million loan to fund commercial property retrofits related to energy efficiency savings and emissions reductions at 34 warehouses in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. With buildings currently accounting for 18% of Canada’s total emissions, investments from the… Read More…

  • Province, BC Hydro Launch Pilot Program to Cut Energy Costs, Support Housing Density

    Province, BC Hydro Launch Pilot Program to Cut Energy Costs, Support Housing Density

    June 25, 2025 In a Canadian first, the Province and BC Hydro have launched a pioneering pilot project in Vancouver that has the potential to set new standards for supporting growing housing priorities and densification in Canada. Designed to support the transition from single-family homes to multi-unit residences, the initiative is exploring how full electrification –… Read More…