Greening the Built Environment
ASTM Standards and Products Form the
Foundation of Sustainable Construction Efforts
By: Doug Clauson.
Today, a major focal point for the
and construction of green buildings.
and E2635 on water conservation in
worldwide building industry is the grow-
ASTM
Standards:
Technical
buildings. Thirteen ASTM technical
ing demand for sustainable construc-
Foundation of Codes and Rating
committees have standards refer-
tion. Sustainable, or "green,"
Systems
enced in the IgCC on topics ranging
construction is focused on the more
ASTM International standards play a
from air quality to thermal insulation.
effective use of resources and ulti-
critical role in the growth of sustain-
Another major green building certifica-
mately the creation of healthier,
able buildings through the green build-
tion system worldwide is LEED,
energy efficient, more environmen-
ing rating and certification programs
Leadership
in
Energy
and
tally friendly homes and buildings.
embraced by the global construction
Environmental Design, developed by
This move toward sustainability is
industry. These programs assist
the U.S. Green Building Council.
transforming the way the industry
stakeholders in navigating the often
Architects, contractors, material
designs, constructs and operates
complex field of sustainability, defin-
suppliers, realtors and facility manag-
buildings. Evidence of this shift
ing the attributes of green buildings
ers rely on LEED in the design,
abounds, whether it's the growth of
and guiding environmentally respon-
construction and operations of
green roofing systems atop office
sive practices.
commercial buildings, houses,
buildings in major international cities
One such effort is the International
schools and more. LEED addresses
or the steady rise in green construc-
Green Construction Code. Developed
the entire building life cycle and recog-
tion in the residential housing market.
by the International Code Council, the
nizes best-in-class building strategies,
According to a study by industry
IgCC is the first model code to include
and it provides third-party verification
research
firm
McGraw-Hill
sustainability measures for the entire
for green buildings. Every day, more
Construction, green housing projects
construction project and its site --
than 1.5 million square feet (.14 Mm2)
accounted for 20 percent of all newly
from design through construction,
of space is certified using LEED. The
built homes in 2012 and had an overall
certificate of occupancy and beyond.
latest version of the program, LEED
value of $25 billion. The firm estimates
For both new and existing buildings,
v4, was approved in July 2013. ASTM
that this share will grow to between 29
the IgCC provides model code
International standards, as well as
and 39 percent of new U.S. homes by
language related to energy conserva-
those from other leading standards
2016.
tion, water efficiency, site impact,
developing organizations, play an
As momentum toward green construc-
building waste, material resource effi-
important part in establishing perfor-
tion increases, standards and other
ciency and other sustainability
mance criteria for various components
technically based solutions from
measures.
of the LEED initiative.
ASTM International will continue to
ASTM International is one of five coop-
fulfill the goals of the building industry
erating sponsors of the IgCC, and the
and the needs of consumers. More
latest version of the code, released in
than 200 ASTM standards make a
2012, cites more than 40 ASTM stan-
valuable contribution throughout all
dards covering various aspects of
areas of the sustainable built environ-
building construction. Among these
ment. These standards and new
are ASTM green construction stan-
ASTM activities in the field of
dards such as E2399 on green roof
sustainability help guide the design
systems, C1549 on solar reflectance
16
Issue 72 March 2014
2014
72

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