Canada needs a national standard for sustainable, high-performance “green” building

In 2006, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) received a request to create a standard for sustainable, high-performance buildings from Marsh Leslie, one of its members. Sustainable, high-performance “green” buildings incorporate technologies, practices, and materials that make the best possible use of resources while minimizing risks to health and the environment over the life cycle of a building. The CSA is the largest standards development organization recognized by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC); the most active in the construction industry and the built environment; the most active in the environment sector; and the most active in mitigating the effects of climate change. So, it is appropriate that the creation of a “green” building standard be undertaken by the CSA.

The operation and construction of buildings contributes to climate change. In Canada, visible efforts are being made to reverse this impact, including: programs that label buildings; calls to enact the Model National Energy Code for Canada (MNECC); funding of demonstration programs; important regulations declared or under review; new product introduction and development; and professional societies and trade associations that spend considerable efforts on education and research. However, design and construction of our built environment is a complex task and there are many members of the building team. Any effort to integrate energy efficiency, interior air quality, commissioning, water use, site development, sustainable materials and resources – all that we take to be “green” building - will be an enormous task made up of many individual efforts. An important part of these efforts is the creation of a national benchmark standard for sustainable, high-performance “green” buildings.

Elsewhere, in the United States, a new standard for high-performance buildings is being developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC); the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IEEE); and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). This “benchmark” standard would apply to all new buildings, with the exception of low-rise residential. A similar joint venture by the International Code Council and the National Association of Home Builders is moving quickly to create a green low-rise residential building standard. While over in the United Kingdom, in December 2006, the Code for Sustainable Homes a national standard for sustainable design and construction of new homes has already been launched. For information about the request for a new Canadian standard, click here.