Green Building Series: ANSI National Green Building Standard
The national green building standard for all residential construction work, including single family homes, apartments and condos, land development, and remodeling and renovation, was approved on January 29, 2009, by the American National Standards Institute.
The national green building standard is the first and only green building rating system approved by ANSI. The approval of the national green building standard will prove beneficial to residential builders and developers who market their products as “green.”
Prior to approval of the ANSI standard, a number of different, conflicting standards existed for residential construction. Among them were LEED, promulgated by the U.S. Green Building Council, and Green Globes, promulgated by the Green Building Initiative, along with multiple city, state and local ordinances.
The ANSI standard was developed by the National Association of Home Builders and the International Code Council, who included a broad spectrum of builders, architects, product manufacturers, regulators and environmental experts in the process. The resulting standard defines the green practices available for incorporation into residential development and construction, along with how homeowners can operate and maintain their green homes.
The advantage of the ANSI standard over other standards is the flexibility afforded by the ANSI standard. It incorporates regional differences and requirements in a similar fashion to that utilized in the International Residential Code.
Most importantly from a legal standpoint, builders and developers can now certify their developments and homes as “green” by complying with the ANSI standard, and be assured that there is no confusion regarding the “shade of green” they are providing. This should result in greater certainty for builders and developers, along with less litigation following construction.
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Attorney Spotlight
C. Michael Shull, III focuses his practice on construction law and litigation. Michael's client representations range from casinos and ENR Top 400 contractors to design firms and subcontractors.