A long-anticipated standard for sustainable commercial construction has been published by ASHRAE, the American Society of heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, in conjunction with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council. Standard 198.1, “Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings,” covers diverse categories, including site sustainability, water use, energy, indoor environmental quality, and overall impact on atmosphere, materials and resources. Unlike voluntary programs (notably, the USGBC’s LEED program), the ASHRAE standard is intended to be incorporated into commercial building codes. The International Code Council, which promulgates building codes, has also recently released a Green Construction Code. For more: www.ashrae.org/greenstandard
