26
Jan
CalGreen Commissioning
CalGreen Commissioning CalGreen commissioning is required on all new commercial buildings over 10,000 square feet. Building Commissioning is the professional practice that ensures buildings are delivered according to the owner’s project requirements and in accordance with the design documents. Buildings that are properly commissioned typically have fewer change orders, tend to be more energy efficient,... Read More
22
Jan
Sacramento CalGreen Checklists
Sacramento CalGreen Checklists The City of Sacramento building department has updated their Sacramento CalGreen checklists for the 2019 Green Building Standards code. The new checklists include the 2019 code changes. Unfortunately, the checklists do not identify those items that have been added or changed. For a complete list of all of the 2019 CalGreen Code... Read More
22
Jan
CalGreen for ADU’s
CalGreen for ADU’s CalGreen for ADU’s is required for building permit applications throughout the state. We are receiving many questions on this subject and will try to address them in this article. Accessory Dwelling Units have exploded throughout California. The State of California recently enacted new laws relating to the construction of these small homes.... Read More
20
Jan
Santa Rosa CalGreen – the 2019 Checklists
Santa Rosa CalGreen – the 2019 Checklists The City of Santa Rosa building department is the first jurisdiction in the state to update their checklists for the 2019 Green Building Standards code. The new checklists include the 2019 code changes and Tier 1 requirements. Unfortunately, the checklists do not identify those items that have been added... Read More
04
Jan
CalGreen and VOC’s – A Lawsuit Waiting to Happen
CalGreen and VOC’s – A Lawsuit Waiting to Happen CalGreen and VOC’s are a lawsuit waiting to happen. The codes are in place, the ability to accurately measure is available, and the potential health-related issues are well documented. The CalGreen Code, under the heading of Pollutant Control, defines the legal limits for volatile organic compounds. These... Read More
29
Dec
CalGreen for Commercial Buildings
CalGreen for Commercial Buildings CalGreen for commercial buildings requires the services of a CalGreen specialist. Unfortunately for building owners, this rarely happens. CalGreen for most commercial buildings is typically handled by either the architect or the mechanical engineer. These firms rarely have an in-house CalGreen specialist. Instead, the design architect or engineer ends up pasting... Read More
30
Nov
CalGreen Plumbing Fixture Requirements
CalGreen Plumbing Fixture Requirements CalGreen plumbing fixture requirements are intended to reduce water consumption for all residential and commercial buildings. These requirements exceed the requirements in the California Plumbing Code. The intent of CalGreen is to move the State of California to a more sustainable future. Efficient water use is critical for all California residents... Read More
28
Nov
Roseville CalGreen
Roseville CalGreen We provide CalGreen services for the City of Roseville. We are specialists in the CalGreen code. As a result we and can help you avoid unnecessary permitting and construction costs. Specifically our services include authoring your CalGreen checklist, dealing with the city of Roseville Building Department and consulting during the construction process. In... Read More
24
Nov
Building Departments Struggle with CalGreen
Building Departments Struggle with CalGreen Building departments throughout the state are struggling with CalGreen. There are several reasons for this. One aspect is the lack of funding for support staff and training in the building departments. The Building Standards Commission (BSC) initially produced a permit level fee for this. In addition, the BSC continues to... Read More
23
Nov
CalGreen for the City of Fresno
CalGreen for the City of Fresno We provide CalGreen services for the City of Fresno. We are specialists in the CalGreen code. As a result we and can help you avoid unnecessary permitting and construction costs. Specifically our services include authoring your CalGreen checklist, dealing with the city of Fresno Building Department and consulting during... Read More
08
Nov
How to Fill Out the CalGreen Checklist
How to Fill Out the CalGreen Checklist How to fill out the CalGreen checklist is far more complex than checking a box. It’s a shame that so many permits get submitted with every box checked. In almost every case, this is a costly mistake for the owner. The Green Building Standards Code allows just about... Read More
04
Nov
CalGreen for Santa Clara County
CalGreen for Santa Clara County CalGreen for Santa Clara County is becoming more difficult for architects, builders and home owners alike. The county is now requiring additional documentation to approve your building permit. Enforcement of the California Green Building Standards Code has been erratic throughout the state. Nearly every jurisdiction has their own CalGreen Checklist... Read More
29
Oct
When CalGreen Goes Horribly Wrong
When CalGreen Goes Horribly Wrong When CalGreen goes horribly wrong – is during construction and the close-out of the project. It can come as a shock to the general contractor they were required to compile dozens of documents during the construction process. Unfortunately, the CalGreen responsibilities of the general contractor are rarely communicated to them.... Read More
05
Oct
Get Your Building Permit In Now!
Get Your Building Permit in NOW! On January 1, 2020 the 2019 California Green Building Standards Code (AKA CalGreen) goes into effect. The new code adds additional costs and complexities to the CalGreen permitting process. If your are able to get your project in before the end of the year it will save you thousands... Read More
05
Oct
CalGreen For Out of State Architects
CalGreen for Out of State Architects Navigating the California Building Codes can be challenging for out of state architects. However, large corporations with business sites throughout the US often prefer to use their select architects for all their projects, regardless of location. This requires the out of state architects to become familiar with the state... Read More
19
Aug
CalGreen Is Confusing
CalGreen Is Confusing Just about every day we hear complaints that CalGreen is confusing. That’s because it is. In part, it’s confusing because it seems to duplicate requirements that are already in the California Building Code Volume 1, as well as the Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical codes. Also, the format of the CalGreen Code is... Read More
17
Aug
CalGreen 2020 – The Changes
CalGreen 2020 – The Changes On January 1, 2020 the 2019 California Green Building Standards Code (AKA CalGreen) goes into effect. This article presents all of the 2020 CalGreen changes. How Did We Get Here? Development of CalGreen began in 2007 by the California Building Standards Commission. This process resulted in the adoption of the... Read More
26
May
CalGreen Compliance and California Schools
DSA and CalGreen DSA has special guidelines for CalGreen compliance in California schools. The California Division of the State Architect (DSA) is the governing body for the construction of public schools in California. DSA provides design and construction oversight for K–12 schools and community colleges to ensure that they comply with all sustainable, structural, accessibility,... Read More
16
May
2019 California Energy Code Changes
What’s New in the 2019 California Energy Code? The 2019 California Energy Code changes go into effect on January 1, 2020. The changes are significant and will increase the cost of new home construction, more importantly, they will dramatically reduce energy consumption. Recently the California Energy Commission published a Fact Sheet on the changes. Here... Read More
15
May
Have Energy Saving Policies Gone Too Far?
Have Energy Saving Policies Gone Too Far? Asking if energy saving policies have gone too far is a valid question. We hear it just about every day – someone complaining about how ridiculous the building codes are getting. “The over-reaching building codes are making it too expensive to build in California!” There is no doubt... Read More