ICC 700, LEED, Green Globes Standards Referenced in Defense Authorization Bill

Originally published by: ASHRAEDecember 4, 2014

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The U.S. House and Senate are in the midst of agreeing to the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2015. The NDAA paves the way for funding the United States’ defense programs, including military construction. The conference report includes a reference to ICC 700 National Green Building Standard, as well as LEED, and Green Globes.

Below is the specific language included in the conference report:

“If a residential building project (including repair or remodeling project) is authorized by this Act or will be carried out using amounts appropriated pursuant to an authorization of appropriations in this Act and the project will be designed and constructed to meet an above code green building standard or rating system, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the military department concerned may use the ICC 700 National Green Building Standard, the LEED Green Building Standard System, the Green Globes Green Building Certification System, or an equivalent protocol developed using a voluntary consensus standard, as defined in Office of Management and Budget Circular Number A–119.”

The NDAA has been enacted into law for over 50 consecutive years, and is expected to be approved by the House and Senate, and then signed by the President sometime next week.