American National Standard Established for Commercial Green Buildings

PORTLAND, Ore., April 19, 2010 – The Green Building Initiative (GBI) announced the completion of the first American National Standard for commercial green buildings, as approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).  The standard, named ANSI/GBI 01-2010:  Green Building Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings was derived from the Green Globes environmental design and assessment rating system for New Construction.  

Supporters of this new ANSI standard claim it is more favorable to the use of vinyl products, simpler to achieve, more affordable, and provides certification for a wider range of buildings than the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

“This new standard was developed in a way that gives all stakeholders, including sustainability experts, architects and engineers, ENGOs, and industry groups a seat at the table,” said Ward Hubbell, president of the GBI.  “This is a significant advancement in green building and the standard will be set apart from any green building rating system of its kind."

The new standard takes a holistic approach to green building with seven areas of assessment:  Project Management, Site, Water, Energy, Emissions, Indoor Environment and Resources.  The energy section includes minimum achievement levels and introduces carbon equivalency measures that are used in combination with energy performance goals.  

The standard also contains minimum point requirements in all seven areas of assessment, ensuring the building has a minimum level of sustainability while still giving project teams the flexibility to choose what works best for each unique building. 

“The approval from ANSI is the result of a long and thoughtful process, where many different people were able to find common ground toward our shared goal of increasing sustainable building practices,” said Wayne Trusty, president of the Athena Institute and Chairman of the ANSI Technical Committee.  

In 2005, the GBI gained official designation as a Standards Developing Organization and began the process of working through ANSI to establish the standard.  The GBI served as secretariat to the ANSI Technical Committee which, per ANSI guidelines, acted autonomously throughout the process.  The technical committee is made up of 30 full-time members and almost 100 sub-committee members, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American Institute of Architects (AIA), American Lung Institute, ASHRAE, and other organizations and academicians. 

“We are extremely thankful to all of the volunteers on the technical committee,” Hubbell said.  “Their dedication and commitment to green building helped establish what we believe will become the benchmark for rating sustainable commercial buildings in the U.S.”

To gain experience with the new standard in a real-world setting, the GBI will take the standard through a limited pilot program, utilizing the new protocol to assess and certify a limited number of commercial buildings.  Applications for the pilot program will be accepted starting May 1, with project evaluation criteria for pilot program approval spanning building size, principal use, and sustainability considerations.

The GBI owns the U.S. license to the Green Globes environmental assessment protocol, a user-friendly and cost-effective way to rate a commercial green building.  More than 100 buildings are currently certified under Green Globes in the United States, which uses an online and interactive platform and provides users with feedback throughout the design and assessment process.  The current version of Green Globes for New Construction will continue to be available for use throughout the GBI ANSI standard pilot process.

The mission of the Green Building Initiative is to accelerate the adoption of building practices that result in energy-efficient, healthier and environmentally sustainable buildings by promoting credible and practical green building approaches.  A not-for-profit education initiative, the GBI is supported by a cross section of organizations and individuals with an interest in residential and commercial construction.  

For more information about the GBI, Green Globes, or the ANSI standard pilot, visit www.thegbi.org.