Green Building Groups Build Icehouses To Demonstrate Performance Of Above-Code Buildings June 6 In Harrisburg

The Delaware Valley Green Building Council, Green Building Alliance in Pittsburgh and USGBC Central Pennsylvania will demonstrate the energy efficiency benefits of above-building code construction by building two icehouses on the Capitol steps on June 6 in Harrisburg starting with a press conference at 9:00 a.m. (12:30 in the East Wing Rotunda in the event of rain).

One icehouse will be built to 2009 IECC (International Energy Conservation Code) code, which is the current requirement in Pennsylvania. The other icehouse will be constructed to above-code standards (a.k.a. a high-performance building).

Both will be approximately 8'x 8'x 8' in size and house a huge block of ice inside the structure. The icehouses will be placed on the westside staircase outside the Main Capitol Rotunda beginning on June 1 and remain in place for three to four weeks.

Via the rate of ice melt within the structures, USGBC Central Pennsylvania and our partners will visually prove the superb performance of above-code structures and thereby seek to make changes to our building code adoption process, as well as update the current energy codes in Pennsylvania.

Afterward, members of Delaware Valley Green Building Council, Green Building Alliance and USGBC Central Pennsylvania, as well as sustainability advocates, will meet with state legislators to discuss issues, including building codes, above-code building standards, energy efficiency, renewable energy and other measures that promote cost effective and environmentally-sensitive buildings and sites.

The three organizations will provide all materials and logistic support for the day.

If you cannot make our Demonstration Day, you can stop by the western exterior of the state Capitol building during the first three weeks of June to observe the ice melt inside the structures and read the educational signage on the icehouses regarding the importance of energy codes and high-performance buildings.

Supporters of the icehouse demonstration include: the PA Housing Finance Agency, Ciesco (4 offices in PA), Formatech, Interteck, Klearwall, Purpose 1 (Lemoyne), Reynolds, Stealth Insulation (Harrisburg), Steven Winter Associates, Inc. and 7group (Pittsburgh).

For more information contact Leticia McCadden, U.S. Green Building Council by sending email to: lmccadden@usgbc.org or call 202-742-3785.