DCAT 2001 Highlights
DCAT leads the movement to incorporate sustainability into all levels of building regulation locally, nationally, and globally. 2001 marked substantial progress toward many of our goals, indicated by the deepening and expanding networks and relationships necessary to facilitate systemic change. DCAT has achieved unprecedented success in creating awareness about the need for environmental and social accountability in building regulation through our leadership, facilitation, and educational roles with key organizations and individuals, nurturing a healthy ecological, social, and economic future.
DCAT Director David Eisenberg
Chairs Earthen Materials Standards Task Force
DCAT
leads an effort within the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
E06.71 Subcommittee to develop standards for low-impact building systems.
David Eisenberg initiated and chairs a task group developing a set of standards
for earthen materials, including rammed earth, adobe, and compressed earth
block. These standards will assist people in getting code approval for building
projects using these materials.
DCAT Leads "Greening of the
Codes" Committee for U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council
(USGBC) represents over 1000 organizations and companies from across the building
and development sector working to promote buildings that are energy-efficient,
more environmentally responsible, and economical to build, operate, and maintain.
David Eisenberg serves on the Board of Directors of the Council and spearheaded
the creation of the Greening the Codes Committee, providing a vehicle to educate
Council members about building regulatory issues and creating a strong voice
representing the green building and development community in working with
the building regulatory arena.
DCAT's "Identifying Barriers
to Green Building Survey" Completed
DCAT conducted a web-based survey to assess issues related to green building
and building regulations. Over 250 respondents, including both code officials
and those whose work must comply with codes, provided information on their
experiences. The survey provided quantitative information validating and elucidating
many of the problems DCAT has been working to address over the past few years--the
existence and nature of the regulatory barriers to green building--as well
as successful strategies to overcome those barriers.
DCAT Partners with State of
Pennsylvania to Create Pilot Training Program for Codes Officials
DCAT is collaborating with the Governor's Green Government Council of the
State of Pennsylvania to develop and administer a pilot training program for
code officials. This program will develop curriculum and a training workshop
for code officials on green building, design, and alternative materials. This
pilot is the first step in developing a model program for all of Pennsylvania
with eventual expansion into a national program.
Continuing Developments with
Model Code Organizations
DCAT and the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) continue
to deepen their relationship, working together to integrate sustainability
issues into national building codes, partnering on writing our building codes
survey, working together with USGBC, and focusing on the integration of these
activities into the International Code Council (the organization into which
all three national model code organizations will merge in 2002). We will initiate
a regular column on green building in ICBO's Building Standards magazine
in January, 2002.
Nurturing Our Roots through
Local Activities
DCAT has been involved in a number of local activities such as leading the
Southern Arizona Green Building Alliance, helping plan and participate in
the Hot Topics/Cool Solutions conference, and serving on the advisory committee
of the Building from the Best of Tucson project, administered by the
Sonoran Institute.
Significant Publications, Conferences
and Keynote Speeches
David Eisenberg co-wrote the feature article on sustainability and building
codes for the September issue of Environmental Building News, the leading
newsletter on environmental design and construction. A shorter article on
the same subject appeared in the May issue of HopeDance Magazine. David's
foreword was also published in the book, Living Homes: Sustainable Architecture
and Design, by McGreggor and Trulsson. David's presentations are in demand
across the country, highlighted by keynote speeches at Hawaii's first green
building conference, and at the Maryland Chesapeake Bay Tributary Teams annual
meeting in Baltimore.
"David
Eisenberg and DCAT are doing some of the most important work on the planet..."
--the late Donella
"Dana" Meadows, lead author
The Limits to Growth and Beyond the Limits
