Start Saving Water Now—ICC, ASHRAE Publish New Code Resource for Water Efficiency

Water-related code and standard requirements will assist communities to conserve water

The International Code Council (ICC) and ASHRAE have partnered to publish 2015 WEP: Water Efficiency Provisions of the International Green Construction Code (IgCC). The publication is the most complete code resource on water conservation and efficiency. It includes water-related IgCC provisions to support jurisdictions facing critical water challenges and drought.

“The updated WEP provides the most contemporary requirements for designers, policy makers and the construction community who are looking for ways to deal with severe droughts and the need to better conserve one of life’s most precious resources—water,” said Dominic Sims, CBO, Chief Executive Officer of the ICC. “The WEP provides a concise and comprehensive resource to address the challenges associated with water scarcity.”

This compact, easy-to-use reference includes indoor and outdoor water efficiency and conservation provisions from throughout the 2015 IgCC, as well as 2015 International Plumbing Code, Chapter 13 on Nonpotable Water Systems and water use provisions from ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES 189.1-2014 Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.

“Water efficiency and conservation is a critical factor in the design and operation of buildings,” said David Underwood, President of ASHRAE. “Given that buildings consume 20 percent of the world’s available water, this update to the Water Efficiency Provisions is vital in helping our industry save significant amounts of water. It contains water efficiency provisions from Standard 189.1, which deals with all aspects of sustainable building design.”

2015 WEP: Water Efficiency Provisions of the IgCC covers water efficient plumbing, appliances, landscape irrigation, and mechanical systems. Plus, it features the latest provisions for alternate water sources like rainwater, graywater and reclaimed water. It promotes water conservation associated with both the building and the building site addressing numerous systems and components. It can be purchased online in soft cover format or PDF download.

About us:

The International Code Council is a member-focused association. It is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.