Greening the District’s Building Codes
April 29, 2014
Learning Objectives
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Learn the applicability of the Green Building Act, 2013 D.C.
Green Construction Code, 2008 D.C. Energy Conservation
Code, and 2013 D.C. Energy Conservation Code to your
project.
Understand the scope of DC Green Building Code
Learn the scope of the Green Building Program Manual and
how to navigate the document.
Learn the new permitting requirements for the 2013 Green
Construction Code and 2013 Energy Conservation Code.
Learn the how the new green and energy codes will impact
building inspections
Goals of the New Codes
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Green the District’s Construction Codes to the maximum
extent practicable
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Codify the best practices currently followed by green
building leaders in the District
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Other important goals and considerations
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Fire and life safety
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Use of modern technology
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Unique DC characteristics, policies and statutes
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Accessibility
2013 DC Green Construction Code
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2012 International Green Construction Code, Amended
Applies to the construction, addition, alteration,
relocation, razing, and demolition of every building or
structures structure as stated below:
 Non-residential projects (10,000 SF and larger)
 Multifamily residential 4 stories and larger (and
10,000 SF and larger)
 Demolition (10,000 SF or larger)
 Site Work (10,000 SF or larger)
Find the DC Green Codes here:
http://www.dcregs.dc.gov/Gateway/NoticeHome.aspx?noticeid=4810344
Green Code Compliance Paths
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Green Building Act
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Green Construction Code
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Alternate Compliance Pathways:
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ASHRAE 189.1
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LEED
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Green Communities
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ICC 700, NGBS
Transitory Provisions
2013 DC Construction Codes Effective March 28, 2014
Exceptions (Section 123 Building Code)
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Projects with existing valid building permits
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Projects with existing filed application
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Projects with existing design contracts
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Tenant Layout Permits for built Core and Shell
Which one applies to my project?
Green Building Act?
Or
DC Green Building Codes ?
Or
No compliance requirement?
Site Development & Land Use
Predesign Site Inventory & Assessment -- Soils &
Invasive/Native plant species
Stormwater Requirements Removed
Landscape Irrigation Systems -- 50% design reductions in
landscaping water use
Management of Vegetation, Soils and Erosion Control
 Soil reuse and restoration
 Containment and removal of invasive plants
 50% native planting requirement. Remainder can be
adaptive
Site Development & Land Use
Building Site Waste Management
Heat Island Mitigation – 50% of site hardscaping
 SRI of 0.30 or greater, shading by structures &
trees, pervious paving, etc.
Light Pollution Control Requirements
Material Resource
Conservation & Efficiency
Construction Material Management
Construction Waste Management
Material Selection
 Whole building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
 40% of materials shall be environmental
Lamps - low-mercury lamps
Building Envelope Moisture Control -envelope inspections
Energy Conservation
Modeled Performance Path -- based on zEPI calculation, COMNET
Performance based design to demonstrate ZEPI not more than 51
Based on kBtu’s not energy cost
“0” score = Net zero building.
“100” score = Building with
code-compliant energy
consumption designed in
2000.
Image from Architectural Energy Corporation, Net Zero for Commercial Buildings presentation
Energy Conservation
Energy Metering and Monitoring Requirements
 Energy load isolation and smart metering
 Sub-metering for non-residential projects > 50,000 SF
Does not apply to buildings where sub-metering is not allowed by local
laws and regulations
Energy Display requirement is removed.
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Metering requirements for:
HVAC/mechanical
Lighting
Plug loads
Process Loads (manufacturing/very large data centers or kitchens)
Miscellaneous (all others)
Energy Conservation
Auto Demand-Response (Auto-DR) Infrastructure -- HVAC
Required for buildings already implementing a Building
Management System
Infrastructure is required but no obligation to implement
Auto-DR
Building Envelope Systems – Insulation requirements during
roof replacement
Energy Conservation
Building Mechanical Systems
 Duct air leakage testing
 Variable air volume (VAV) fan controls – above 5 HP
 Exhaust air guidance – proper design and VAVs or heat recovery
 HVAC controls in Group R-1
Building Service Water Systems -- Water heating controls in dwelling units
Building Electrical Power and Lighting Systems
 Sleeping unit lighting controls in hotels
 Occupancy light reduction controls
 Exterior lighting reductions-time switch for after hours
 Automatic daylight controls
Plug load controls
Energy Conservation
Appliances and Equipment
 Standby mode for elevators
 Variable speed escalators
 50% of commercial food service equipment to be Energy
Star
 Variable speed and shut off provisions for conveyors
Renewable Energy Systems – Section stricken from model code
(appendix A)
Energy Systems Commissioning -- removed the post-occupancy
requirements from the model code
Water Resource Conservation
Fixtures, Fittings, Equipment and Appliances
 Guidance for flow rates and reduced consumption
 Energy Star requirements for appliances
 Efficiency guidance for water-powered pumps, vehicle washing facilities
HVAC Systems and Equipment
 Prohibition of once-through cooling
 Guidance for cooling towers
Water Treatment Devices and Equipment
 Water softener and reverse osmosis efficiency guidance
 Onsite reclaimed water treatment systems guidance
Water Resource Conservation
Metering -- Guidance for water metering and submetering
Nonpotable Water Requirements -- stricken, wasn’t seen as necessary
Rainwater Collection and Distribution -- moved to Plumbing Code
Gray Water Systems – stricken due to guidance in Plumbing Code
Reclaimed Water Systems -- stricken (not available in DC)
Indoor Environmental Quality
Building Construction Features -- Guidance for air handling and filter access
HVAC Systems -- Guidance for construction phase and post-construction air
filtration
Specific IAQ Control – Stricken, requirement for IAQ testing thought to be too
much
Material Emissions and Pollutant Control
 Guidance for formaldehyde limits on composite wood products
 Guidance for VOC emission limits for flooring, ceiling tiles/walls, and
insulation
Acoustics -- Section stricken (poorly worded and being covered elsewhere in code)
Daylighting -- Daylighting section was revised and moved to Appendix A
Commissioning, O&M
Scope
 Commissioning for all projects, except for alterations less than 50,000 sf
 Altered the commissioning plan -- focus on “active” systems
Approved Agency -- Guidance on “approved agencies” for commissioning
Commissioning -- Commissioning records and reporting to be provided to the
owner, and made available to the code official upon request
Building Operations and Maintenance – section stricken from code
Electives– Appendix A
Site Project Electives-examples
 Wildlife Corridor
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Infill Site
Brownfield Site
Site Restoration
Mixed-use Development
Changing and Shower Facilities
Long-term Bicycle Storage and Parking
Heat Island Mitigation
Site Hardscape (2 electives)
Green Roof Coverage (3 electives)
Native Plant Landscaping (2 electives)
Green Building Program Manual
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Broken down into typical project phases:
 Design
 Permitting
 Inspections
 Certificate of Occupancy
 Post Occupancy
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Includes Sectional Reference Guide and Submittal
Templates to streamline process
Green Building Program Manual
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Guidance on the implementation and enforcement
 Green Construction Code
 Energy Conservation Code
 Green Building Act
 Reference associated District regulations (Roadmap)
Guidance on Green Code alternative compliance paths
 LEED
 ASHRAE 189.1
 ICC 700
 Enterprise Green Communities
Design Phase
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Preliminary Design Review Meetings
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Green Review included
Green Review (upon request)
2013 DC Energy Conservation Code
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2012 International Energy Conservation Code, Amended
Significantly more energy efficient than the 2006 DC
Energy Conservation Code
Code as two separate divisions
 Commercial Buildings
 Residential Buildings
Additional Green Requirements/Incentives
(Roadmap)
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Anacostia Waterfront Development Zone
Stormwater management
Groundwater
Lead-paint and asbestos work practices
Use of volatile organic compounds (VOC)
Energy Benchmarking
Green Area Ratio
RiverSmart Homes/Communities
DCSEU
Permitting Process
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Green and Energy reviews are integrated into the
standard permit application and review process
 Updated online permit application
Project will be assigned a Green Review depending on
applicability
No Third Party green plan review
All projects will be reviewed for Energy Conservation
Code compliance
List of required documents for each Green and Energy
Review by permit type and compliance path
Permitting Process
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Construction documents with sufficient detail and clarity
to show compliance with Energy Code:
 Mechanical Equipment Efficiency and Sizing
 Duct sealing
 Air Sealing Details
 Envelope/Insulation values
 Fenestration U-factors and SHGC
Submittals (Building Permit)
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Green Building Act
 ENERGY STAR Target Finder Score
 Financial Security Understanding, if applicable
 Compliance Path Selection and Documentation
 LEED
 Enterprise Green Communities
Green Code
 Alternative Pathways (ASHRAE 189.1, LEED, Green
Communities, ICC 700)
Raze and Site Work Permit
Building Inspections
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Green and Energy Inspections integrated into the
inspection process, will occur simultaneously with other
required inspections
All projects required to use third party to complete
performance testing:
 Commissioning, Air Leakage Tests, Duct Leakage
Tests
No Green Third Party Inspections
Certificate of Occupancy
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Green Code requires a number verifications prior to
issuance of a certificate of occupancy
 First CofO for a floor above grade plane in projects
where there are multiple certificates of occupancy
If project must meet post-occupancy requirements, a
CofO will not be granted unless the code official
determines that the project is on track to be verified in
accordance with the path selected
Certificate of Occupancy
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GBA: Financial Security prior to issuance of a certificate
of occupancy by one of four methods:
 Cash
 Irrevocable letter of Credit
 Bond
 Binding Pledge
Post Occupancy
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Green Building Act and Green Construction Code allow
for verification after a building is occupied for some of
the green building requirements
Due dates vary :
 Pay close attention to when your documentation is
due to avoid any issues and/or fines
 If using a third party verification system be sure to
familiarize yourself with the deadlines for those
programs to ensure your project remains eligible
Sectional Reference Guide
 Section Summary
A detailed summary of each code section that gives additional guidance,
considerations, design details, and other resources that will help building
professionals develop a deeper understanding of the code section, connect
the dots to larger green building topics, and “read between the lines” of the
specific code section.
 Rationale, Benefits and Intention
A summary that states the importance of the section and why it is included in
the green or energy code
Sectional Reference Guide
 Best Practices
A list and description of industry best practices that are used to implement
and meet the requirements of each code section, specific to the District’s
climate zone
 Innovations
A list of innovative techniques, products, and/or methods that are being used
to successfully implement each code section
 Timeline
Guidance on when in the construction timeline the section should ideally be
considered and addressed by the project team
Sectional Reference Guide
 Resources
A list and description of critical journals, supplementary codes, web
resources, books, and other resources that can be used for additional
guidance when applying the green and energy codes
 Related Codes and Referenced Standards
A list of references to related ICC codes, other codes, and/or other referenced
standards in each section.
Additionally, lists of all pre-approved agencies, processes, sources, standards
and other references throughout the Green Construction and Energy
Conservation Codes that site an “approved” alternative to the stated code
language.
Questions?
Dave Epley
Green Building and Sustainability Coordinator
Department of Consumer and Regulator Affairs
Green.building@dc.gov
Fulya Kocak
Director of Sustainable Solutions,
Clark Construction Group
Fulya.kocak@clarkconstruction.com
Patrick Kunze
Senior Principal
GHT Limited
Pkunze@ghtltd.com