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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT face="Times New Roman">The
International Code Council (ICC), the principal publisher of building safety
codes<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>in the <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>, is seeking
public comment on their draft International Green Construction Code (IGCC).
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman">IGCC is written in code language and is intended to be
used in conjunction with jurisdictions’ existing building codes.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>IGCC sponsors include ICC; the American
Institute of Architects (AIA); the US Green Building Council; the American
Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE); ASTM
International; and the Illuminating Engineering Society
(IES).<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Comments on the current
version of the code (Public Version 1.0) are due <B>Friday, May 14</B>.
</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">The draft code includes a
number of requirements that pertain to the selection of plants and management of
invasive plant species.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Each of
these requirements are in Chapter 4,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>“Site Development and Land Use.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Specifically, see Sections 402.3.1.3 (under “</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">Predesign site inventory and
assessment”), </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>402.3.3.1.1.3 (under “Potable water”),
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">402.3.5.6
(“Invasive species”), and 404.2.3 (Heat Island Mitigation/ Shade by
trees).</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Additionally, Chapter 2 contains a definition for
“Invasive Plant Species.”.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Some things to consider when reviewing and commenting on
the code:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman">-- Is the definition for “Invasive Plant Species”
correct?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As written, will it be
effective in preventing the planting, and encouraging the removal, of invasive
plant species on building sites in all the regions of the <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman">-- Is the establishment phase for water use too
long?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Too
short?<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman">-- For shading to achieve heat island mitigation goals,
the tree canopy is to be measured at five-year canopy growth.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Does this requirement have any
implications for the selection of trees?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Would a sufficient variety of native trees achieve the required canopy
layer in 5 years?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman">-- With the exception of trees chosen to meet the heat
island mitigation requirements, IGCC does not require planting of native plants
at a site.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Should it?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If so, should it require that ALL plants
be native, or should there be a minimum percentage, e.g., require that at least
60% of new plantings be native?<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">-- </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">The term “native species” is
not used in the document.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Rather,
the document refers to trees “<SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">that are
native to the region and climate zone in which the project site is
located.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Should the document use
more specific terminology?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If so,
what terms or definitions should be included?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=#000000 face="Times New Roman">The draft
code and information on the comment process are are available at </FONT><A
title=http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/IGCC/Pages/default.aspx
href="http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/IGCC/Pages/default.aspx" target=blank><FONT
title="http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/IGCC/Pages/default.aspx
CTRL + Click to follow link"
color=#800080
face="Times New Roman">http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/IGCC/Pages/default.aspx</FONT></A><FONT
color=#000000 face="Times New Roman"> . <BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Susan McLaughlin
Gitlin<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Green</SPAN></st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Building</st1:PlaceType></SPAN></st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">
Program<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">U.S.</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> Environmental Protection
Agency<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Washington</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">, <st1:State
w:st="on">D.C.</st1:State></SPAN></st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman">202-566-9760<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman">work e-mail:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>gitlin.susan@epa.gov<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>