October 2012
2-19
2.5
Codes, Standards, and Voluntary Programs for Water Efficiency
Water-Efficient Buildings
As with products, substantial progress has been made to address water use and
efficiency in building plumbing systems and whole buildings, primarily as part of a
larger movement to improve the environmental performance of buildings. Tradition-
ally, building and plumbing codes have addressed health and safety in plumbing and
building water use. Now“green” building standards, codes, and voluntary guidelines
are available that also address water-efficient design or construction practices, tech-
nologies, performance thresholds, and metrics.
In the world of green building, there is a distinction between green building stan-
dards and codes and green building guidelines. As with the discussion of standards
above, green building standards and codes are written in language that is enforce-
able and ready for adoption into law by legislation or regulation, so that their com-
pliance becomes mandatory. Green building guidelines, on the other hand, are not
written in enforceable language and are usually intended to be voluntary. Both
provide thresholds for efficiency that go above and beyond the established building
and plumbing codes and standards.
Table 2-4 shows the prominent national green building codes, standards, and volun-
tary guidelines that address water efficiency in commercial and institutional build-
ings.
25
AWE also maintains a chart comparing the water-efficiency criteria of several
of these national green building codes, standards, and guidelines.
26
Table 2-4. National Green Building Codes, Standards, and Voluntary Guidelines
25
Ibid.
26
Ibid.
27
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). USGBC: Rating Systems.
Primary Developing
Organization
Title
Standard, Code, or
Guideline
U.S. Green Building
Council (USGBC)
LEED® Rating Systems
27
Guideline
Green Globes Green
Building Initiative (GBI)
ANSI/GBI 01-2010–Green Building
Assessment Protocol for Commercial
Buildings
Standard
ASHRAE
ASHRAE 189.1–Standard for the
Design of High-Performance,
Green Buildings
Standard
ASHRAE
ASHRAE 191–Standard for the
Efficient Use of Water in Building,
Site, and Mechanical Systems
(
in development)
Standard
IAPMO
Green Plumbing and Mechanical
Code Supplement
Code
ICC
Green Construction Code
Code
