HORIZONTV FEATURING BD+C: WATCH EPISODES ON DEMAND AT HORIZONTV
The construction of a building entails navigating through a maze of regulations, permits, and codes. Architects are more than mere designers; we are stewards of safety and navigators of code compliance.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a proposed standard addressing heat illness in outdoor and indoor settings in the Federal Register. The proposed rule would require employers to evaluate workplaces and implement controls to mitigate exposure to heat through engineering and administrative controls, training, effective communication, and other measures.
Phius recently released, REVIVE 2024, a retrofit standard for more resilient buildings. The standard focuses on resilience against grid outages by ensuring structures remain habitable for at least a week during extreme weather events.
The Contra Costa County Administration Building in Martinez, Calif., is the world’s first public project to achieve the zero-waste-focused TRUE Gold certification for construction. The TRUE Certification for Construction program, administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), recognizes projects that achieve exceptional levels of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.
The US Green Building Council (USGBC) has updated the LEED Demand Response Pilot Credit. Originally launched in 2010, the revised and enhanced Demand Response Pilot Credit establishes guidelines that are anticipated to increase participation in automated energy demand response programs. LEED projects that satisfy the credit by demonstrating their ability to shift energy consumption by 10% of peak load demand will earn a point towards LEED certification when they participate in existing utility-sponsored demand response programs that meet guidelines established in the pilot credit. Additional points are available for projects that implement semi or fully automated demand response programs.
(http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=9542)
To aid local governments to adopt high-performance green building codes, the Portland Cement Association (PCA) and the Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) have developed High Performance Building Requirements for Sustainability 2.0. It includes the concepts in most other sustainability or green standards, while also enhancing disaster resistance.
http://www.todaysfacilitymanager.com/facilityblog/2011/07/building-code-for-sustainable-construction-emphasizes-functional-resilience.html
"A sustainable building with a higher degree of durability can decrease the amount of materials going to landfills and use of community resources when disasters occur,” says Steve Szoke, PCA director of codes and standards. “The PCA/IHBS ordinance provides mandatory requirements for increased resistance to natural disasters with the goals of reducing the number of destroyed buildings, protecting property, and saving human life."
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently published ISO 50001 to provide a recognized framework for integrating energy performance into management practices. ISO says it is "a single, harmonized standard for implementation across the organization with a logical and consistent methodology for identifying and implementing improvements."
http://www.todaysfacilitymanager.com/facilityblog/2011/07/iso-50001-seeks-to-standardize-energy-management-strategies.html
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
