California Adopts Mandatory Green Building Code

Surprise, Surprise; California has became the first state in the nation to adopt a mandatory green building standards code.  The standards adopted today are being referred to as “CalGreen”, and set new standards for new construction statewide.  Some of the major aspects of this standard are that builders must recycle at least half of construction waste, install high efficiency plumbing that cuts indoor water use by 20%, and use low VOC paints, adhesives and floor coverings.  The code will also require seperate indoor and outdoor water meters for non-residential buildings and mandatory energy audits for buildings over 10,000 square feet.

Some environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council have criticized the code, saying that California sets the trends , and that this code doesn’t go far enough.  The Governator does not agree; ”With this first-in-the nation mandatory green building standards code, California continues to pave the way in energy efficiency and environmental protection, today’s action lays the foundation for the move to greener buildings constructed with environmentally advanced building practices that decrease waste, reduce energy use and conserve resources,” Schwarzenegger said.

While I don’t know too much about the particulars, I think that a statewide mandatory green building code will be beneficial environmentally and economically, and that this is a step in the right direction.  The standards in the new code parallel LEED standards, which continue to lead the way when it comes to green building.  Last week I wrote a post about Jerry Yudelson’s top ten green building trends for 2010.  Just a week later and they are already coming true, as  trend number 7 involved mandated green building standards.  Well done sir.