Rhode Island First to Adopt International Green Construction Code

As of October 2010, Rhode Island is the first state in the U.S. to recognize the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) as an option for the design and construction of all major public facilities. In 2009 the state passed the Green Buildings Act, which requires all new public projects to be built to LEED Certified standards—with some exceptions. Rhode Island now recognizes IGCC as equivalent to LEED for the purpose of the requirement.

IGCC applies to commercial buildings—new, existing, traditional and high-performance—and offers ASHRAE Standard 189.1 as an alternative code from which jurisdictions can draw. Rhode Island's application of the IGCC for public buildings is not the same as using IGCC as the basis for its building code. Recently Richard, Washington, became the first city in the world to adopt IGCC as non-mandatory commercial building code. For more information, visit www.iccsafe.org.

– Emily Catacchio