On March 28, 2014, the District of Columbia adopted the 2013 DC Construction Codes, making the District, once again, a leader in the nation on green building and sustainability practices. The new codes are the product of over two years of work by the Construction Codes Coordinating Board, and will fundamentally transform the way buildings are constructed in the District resulting in energy and water savings as well as a greener and healthier city. Adoption of the new codes represents a significant step toward meeting the goals of Mayor Gray’s Sustainable DC initiative.
The final product reflects the unique District policies, characteristics, and some of the most modern, sustainable, and energy- and water-efficient building practices. The Energy Conservation Code will require that new buildings perform as much as 30 percent more efficiently, and the Green Construction Code will extend the building practices legislated by the DC Green Building Act of 2006. The adoption has already been acknowledged by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and by its National Capital Region Chapter (NCR), receiving praise from Rick Fedrizzi, CEO of the USGBC and Fulya Kocak, USGBC-NCR Chair and Director of Sustainability for Clark Construction Group.
