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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
December 03, 2012
5:00 PM, City Council Chambers
MEETING AGENDA
I. International Green Construction Code
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Ireland and Aspen City Council
FROM: Stephen Kanipe, Chief Building Official
THROUGH: Chris Bendon, Community Development Director
MEETING DATE: December 3, 2012
SUBJECT: Consideration of International green Construction Code for
adoption
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SUMMARY: The 2012 International green Construction Code (IgCC) is the newest
addition to the I‐Code suite of publications. It is intended as an “overlay” document to
the building, plumbing, mechanical and energy codes the city administers and enforces.
The International codes are in use in 50 states and the District of Columbia. The IgCC
was developed to apply to traditional and high‐performance commercial building sites
and systems. The most descriptive phrase in the introduction to the code is that “the
IgCC is intended to reduce the negative impacts and increase the positive impacts of the
built environment on the natural environment and building occupants”. Building staff
suggests the City pursue adoption of the IgCC and the 2012 editions of all the companion
I‐Code in April 2013. Council direction is requested
BACKGROUND: The City’s involvement with the IgCC began in June 2009 when
building official Stephen Kanipe was appointed to the ICC Sustainable Building
Technology Committee (SBTC). The committee worked and met until January 2010 to
produce the first Public Version of the IgCC. Many sustainable principles familiar to the
Aspen Efficient Building Code (2002) where incorporated in the IgCC. Stephen continues
to serve on the IgCC Code Development Committee.
DISCUSSION: IgCC is organized in the common international code format and written
in mandatory language. This distinguishes it from the LEED rating system program and
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published standards available in the green building construction regulatory
environment.
IgCC chapter topics include: requirements for development and maintenance of building
sites and site waste management; building material conservation, resource efficiency and
construction waste management; amped up energy efficiency addressing plug loads,
metering and reporting; indoor and outdoor water conservation and efficiency measures;
indoor air quality and pollutant control and daylighting requirements; building site and
building systems commissioning and requirements for operation and maintenance; and,
provisions for existing buildings. Obviously, it takes a village to administer these
comprehensive provisions.
The IgCC is an adoptable, useable and enforceable code. It is written to allow a
jurisdiction to pick and chose regulations, in graduated levels, that best suit their
environmental and regional goals. The city has a head start with the environmental
initiatives and the IgCC principles are familiar to staff. With Council direction to
proceed, staff will move forward with a plan for adoption.
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