Chapter 7 Interpretation and NGBS Green Compliance Guidance for Tropical Zones

Published Friday, September 24, 2021

Buildings in the Tropical Zone typically have no conditioning (heat or cooling) or partial conditioning; consequently, they are inherently greener and more energy efficient. Without heat or air conditioning, many mainland U.S. green building practices are irrelevant to the building's performance. Further, the prevalence of masonry construction makes some green practices extraneous. 

The 2015 NGBS and 2020 NGBS Consensus Committees specifically sought to include a pragmatic certification path for Tropical Zone buildings to ensure these buildings could earn NGBS Green certification. Both the 2015 NGBS and the 2020 NGBS versions include an alternative compliance path for buildings in the Tropical Climate Zone that diverges from how buildings in other climates demonstrate compliance. The intent is to recognize the relative energy efficiency for buildings compliant with the provisions of the IECC Section R401.2.1 (Tropical Zone). 

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