Developed in 2008, most of the latest code updates to California’s Title 24 have long ago been previewed – and in many cases adopted voluntarily – by those in the state’s building industry in anticipation of the code’s mandatory compliance date, January 1. And now the complete documents are being rolled out, along with announcements about relevant training and certification programs.

On Tuesday, the International Code Council, in cooperation with the California Building Standards Commission, announced the release of the 2010 California Green Building Standards Code, Title 24, Part 11 – otherwise known as CALGreen. One of 12 parts of Title 24 – and the nation’s first mandatory green building code – CALGreen covers:

1) regulations for energy efficiency, water efficiency and conservation, material conservation and resource efficiency, environmental quality, and more 

2) mandatory provisions for the following types of new buildings: commercial, low-rise residential, and public schools. Appendices include voluntary provisions for all of these occupancies plus hospitals

Residential and nonresidential provisions have been placed in separate chapters for easier use, says the ICC, which sells the document for $54 to nonmembers, $43 for ICC members. 

Training and certification

CALGreen provisions regulate energy efficiency and conservation of energy, water, and construction materials, the ICC says, noting, for example, that all new buildings constructed in California will be required to reduce water consumption by 20%, divert 50% of construction waste from landfills, and feature low-pollutant-emitting materials.

The ICC also announced it will soon launch training and certification programs to support CALGreen, including courses for inspectors, plan reviewers, and other building professionals; certification practice tests; seminars to help jurisdictions adopt and implement CALGreen; and a program offered in partnership with California Building Officials, the nonprofit health-and-safety advocacy group, to validate the competency of inspectors and plan reviewers. Program details will be announced soon, the ICC says. 

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