As we push the envelope on ever-deeper green design and construction, limitations inherent in building codes and other approvals emerge. What if building codes cast their net broadly enough on the concept of "public health, safety and welfare” to include risks resulting from the built environment’s degradation of the natural environment, exacerbation of health effects such as obesity and asthma, and of course, global climate change. This session will survey the common barriers to sustainability present in the building code, offer strategies and examples of how to work successfully with code officials while pursuing advanced levels of green building, and explain how to engage effectively in changing the codes in your jurisdiction and more broadly.

Presenters

Davd Eisenberg, Executive Director / DCAT

David Eisenberg is co-founder and Director of the Development Center for Appropriate Technology (DCAT) in Tucson, AZ. His three decades of building experience range from the on-site troubleshooting of the construction of the cover of Biosphere 2 to building a $2 million structural concrete house, a hypoallergenic structural steel house, and masonry, wood, adobe, rammed earth, and straw bale structures.

For over a decade David has led the effort to create a sustainable context for building codes. He served two terms on the Board of the U.S. Green Building Council where he founded and chairs the Building Codes Committee. He was vice-chair of the ASTM E-06.71 Subcommittee on Sustainability for Buildings for five years. David has presented workshops, seminars, keynote addresses and lectures at dozens of international, national and regional conferences and lectured at universities in the U.S. and abroad. David is on the Advisory Board of Environmental Building News. He is co-author of The Straw Bale House book and has written dozens of published articles, forewords, book chapters and papers.

Registration and more information:

This session will be available for video playback after October 20, 2008

Sessions are $75 for Cascadia members and $90 for nonmembers.

Note: by clicking on this link you will be directed to Cascadia's secure server for registration and payment: D04