Development of web-based information technology infrastructures and regulatory repositories for green building codes in China (iCodes)

With the unprecedented pace of construction in China, reliable and consistent communication between the various building industry players (both local and international) throughout the whole building delivery process is of paramount importance for the successful achievement of green building improvement in China. In order to achieve the goals of the green building standards through integrated team work in a reformed building delivery process, a web-based information technology (IT) infrastructure named China Green Building Codes and Standards Online (iCodes) is developed based on advanced web application and database technologies. The principal strategic thrust of the work is to develop an integrated bi-lingual platform to support the processes involved in building energy efficiency practices as well as research and development (R&D) purposes. It aims to provide a consistent knowledge repository for generating educational material for teaching and training purposes that cover the life-cycle building delivery process. With the help of the fast growing and wide spread Internet technology in China, this integrated IT framework and features will enable efficient dissemination of green building practice related information throughout China.