I am currently working with an exceptional team on defining the goals and the implementation process for a stretch code in NY. \u00a0This discussion is at its very beginning, and there are consultant advisers also working on this project, led by NYSERDA to push energy efficiency in buildings. And I hope we will keep some broad understanding of sustainability in there as well (good air quality, water management, life cycle, local economic development, low GHG…)<\/p>\n
We may build a suggestion list of things that can be done exceptionally\u00a0better than code. \u00a0We may call on LEED or other existing and proven green building guideline as the optimal metric to meet in this stretch code. \u00a0At this point, we don’t really know, but the initial conversations made me feel the following notion must be re-stated: code is the bottom.<\/strong><\/p>\n LEED and other standards are “better than code”, usually by a percentage. Code is the least you can do under the law. \u00a0Anyone promising design or construction of a code-compliant building is certainly a serious underachiever, and I would not trust my project to them. They will spend their time and focus on designing and constructing to what is known to work, without considering what will work better.<\/p>\n Remember, there is great variety in high performing buildings and sustainable projects. \u00a0There is also a great variety in “code compliant” buildings – good designs, thoughtful use of materials, great use-planning, but\u00a0many crap buildings built to meet code just fine.<\/p>\n Code is currently about safety.\u00a0 Period.\u00a0 The energy code goes further, but no code mandates anything beyond protection from harm<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 True sustainability is about support for excellence. \u00a0As an example, indoor air quality in the case of sustainability is not about just making sure there are no poisons in the air, but making sure the conditions are optimal for actually improving the health and productivity of the building users.<\/p>\n Code is a floor – Green is a sky FULL of possibilities. Let’s reach for them.<\/p>\n Jodi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I am currently working with an exceptional team on defining the goals and the implementation process for a stretch code in NY. \u00a0This discussion is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":400,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10,2,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-critical-commentary","category-energy","category-profession"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/IMG_5869.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p40KlT-6r","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":841,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=841","url_meta":{"origin":399,"position":0},"title":"Dear Governor Cuomo,","author":"greenerjsa","date":"March 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"To: The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Governor of New York State NY State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 \u00a0 Date: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0March 18, 2017 From: \u00a0 \u00a0 Jodi Smits Anderson, concerned Architect and Albany resident RE: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 High Performance Building Goals \u00a0 Governor Cuomo, One of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Advocacy"","block_context":{"text":"Advocacy","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=128"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1968,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1968","url_meta":{"origin":399,"position":1},"title":"To LEED or Not to LEED\u2026","author":"greenerjsa","date":"August 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Oh, such a loaded title. Loaded because of the moment we find ourselves in. Part of this written reflection is based on my own work in updating contracts and guidance documents to help staff achieve our goals for better buildings and transformational achievements in energy, health, and carbon reductions. Part\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Critical commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Critical commentary","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/nested-300x225.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":616,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=616","url_meta":{"origin":399,"position":2},"title":"LEED and Yoga ONE: Time for a Stretch","author":"greenerjsa","date":"June 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The newest version of the LEED rating system (LEED v4) has been out for use for a year and will become the only available version for Building Design and Construction projects come October of this year. There are many challenges in the system, and many significant improvements. First, let me\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "community"","block_context":{"text":"community","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stretch a Bit","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/yoga-200x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":43,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=43","url_meta":{"origin":399,"position":3},"title":"LEED and “certifiable”","author":"greenerjsa","date":"October 18, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This is my perspective on some legislative language in NYS. I wrote this in early 2009, and it still applies to green building goal setting. Being \"certifiable\" means you have already committed to doing the work, paying design professionals, ensuring the work is done properly (through documentation, energy modeling, commissioning,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Green Building Tools"","block_context":{"text":"Green Building Tools","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":134,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=134","url_meta":{"origin":399,"position":4},"title":"changing the world","author":"greenerjsa","date":"March 6, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Heads up \u2013 we know we\u2019re changing the world when people start fighting back! - Jodi From Marisa Long of the USGBC By now, many of you have seen the unabashed false claims that came out in a press release last week from the fictitious organization called the \u201cEnvironmental Policy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Critical commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Critical commentary","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":656,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=656","url_meta":{"origin":399,"position":5},"title":"LEED and Yoga TWO: Language","author":"greenerjsa","date":"July 10, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"As previously mentioned, we\u2019ve gained\u00a0comfort in the beginner exercises LEED has presented to us, and now it is time to stretch a bit more. There are\u00a0several nice new poses in LEEDv4. Some are just refinements of the moves we know, and a few are brand new to us. 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