Green Mechanical Contractor

GREEN NOW WRITTEN
IN CODE LANGUAGE

Two signi;cant green code documents were published this past January. ;e International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical O;cials published its Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers released its Standard 189.1-2009, Standard for the Design of High Performance Both are “push” standards. IAPMO’s Green Supplement aims to save more water and energy than its Uniform Plumbing Code and Uniform Mechanical Code. ASHRAE’s standard is more stringent than its landmark Standard 90.1, Energy E;ciency in New Building Design. Both are written in code language so that progressive units of government can adopt green codes without cobbling together an ad hoc green code derived from green-building rating system requirements.

“;e building codes are perhaps the biggest hindrance to
the adoption of green buildings,” said Dave Viola, IAPMO
director of Special Services and sta; liaison to the Green Tech-
nical Committee (GTC) that developed the IAPMO Green
Supplement. “;ere's so little information about how to do
green systems properly and safely within existing building
codes, so we’ve rolled out a document that shows exactly how
it’s done.”
The IAPMO Green Supplement serves as a complement
to any adopted plumbing and mechanical code, bridging the
gap between existing codes and established green building
programs. Where code language and green building concepts
lack cohesion, the Green Supplement creates harmony by
addressing areas such as:
• Use of alternate water sources (graywater, rainwater
harvesting)

• Proper use of high-efficiency plumbing products
• Conservation of hot water
• Energy conservation in HVAC systems
• Training/education in green plumbing systems
;e Standard’s Section 6 covers water use e;ciency, includ-
ing plumbing fixtures and fittings, appliances and HVAC
systems and equipment. ;e standard requires, for example,
1.28-gpf toilets, either 05-gpf or waterless urinals, 0.5-gpm
;ow rates for public lavatory faucets and 0.25-gal. per cycle for
metering faucets. It limits the ;ow rate in residential showers
to 2.0-gpm and defines a shower compartment as a roomy
2, 600-sq.in., compared with IAPMO’s 1, 800-sq.in. It prohibits
once-through cooling of HVAC systems with potable water.

Are you already involved in green mechanical contracting or do you want to see more examples of a speci;c type of work? Do you have a green project that would make a great case study in the next Green Mechanical Contractor ;is is your exclusive showcase, forum and resource.