PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 8, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Green Building Initiative's (GBI) 32-member Consensus Body today released for public comment a revision to GBI's American National Standard, known as ANSI/GBI 01-2010: Green Building Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings. Work on the revision began in 2014 and has included input to date from nearly 100 subject matter experts in the green building community through more than 50 public meetings and calls conducted as part of GBI's American National Standard Institute (ANSI) approved procedures. The procedures dictate requirements for openness, balance, consensus and due process.
The revised Standard, designated BSR/GBI 01-201X according to ANSI protocol, is now available on GBI's website along with a public comment form at www.thegbi.org/ansi. The official public comment period will begin Friday, September 11, 2015 and run through Monday, October 26, 2015.
"We'd like to thank the many volunteers that have contributed time and expertise to date," stated Wayne Trusty, Chair of the GBI Consensus Body. "The next stage of public comment review is critical to help ensure the Standard will help owners and design teams set appropriate goals and meet the expectations that we collectively have for the sustainable attributes and ultimate performance of their buildings."
According to GBI's published Schedule for Maintenance, this is one of at least two public comment periods under ANSI's periodic maintenance requirements. GBI plans to maintain the Standard under continuous maintenance to allow for annual or biannual updates.
GBI's Executive Director Vicki Worden states, "The public comment periods help GBI advance its mission to increase adoption of green building practices. Discussion and debate in the green building community improves the Standard and helps the community as a whole consider new avenues for achieving and assessing high performance and green building."
The ANSI GBI 01-2010 Standard forms the basis for the current version of Green Globes for New Construction (Green Globes NC), which was released in 2013 and is delivered through an interactive online platform that breaks down the criteria into questionnaires and allows users to access reference materials and ToolTips through hyperlinks. The current Green Globes NC was also updated to include criteria from the Federal government's Guiding Principles requirements. Additionally, updates were made to respond to customer feedback and incorporate changes that occurred in the market between 2010 and 2013.
Dr. Charles Kibert of the University of Florida serves as Vice Chair of the Consensus Body and also sits on GBI's Board of Directors. He notes, "Moving to a continuous maintenance process, where proposals for change can be considered by the Consensus Body on an annual or biannual basis, will help ensure both the Standard and the online Green Globes system can be updated simultaneously." Kibert adds, "In this way, Green Globes will be able to respond to customer feedback, promote innovation, and reflect technological advancements while ensuring that the rating system's compliance criteria are strictly maintained by GBI's Consensus Body."
About the Green Building Initiative® - The GBI is a nonprofit organization and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standards Developer dedicated to accelerating the adoption of green building practices. Founded in 2004, the organization is the sole U.S. provider of the Green Globes® and federal Guiding Principles Compliance building certification programs. To learn more about opportunities to become involved in the GBI, contact Vicki Worden at vicki@thegbi.org or visit the GBI website, www.thegbi.org.