Special for Earth Day

Navajo Nation Township is First Tribal Community to Adopt Green Construction Code

by Native News Network Staff in Native Currents. Discussion »

SAN FRANCISCO - Located in northern Arizona - in the midst of the Navajo Nation - sits the small township of Kayenta. It is home to 5,000.

Sustainable Building Codes

Kayneta also has the distinction of being the first American Indian tribal community in the United States to adopt the International Green Construction Code (IGCC).

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Pacific Southwest Green Building Team work with Kayneta to support the development of sustainable building codes that meet tribal priorities.

“As one of the first communities to adopt this code, Kayenta Township is forging a path for sustainable development,” said Jared Blumenfield, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest.

“Their commitment to green building design will not only protect the public health, but water and energy savings means precious local resources will be preserved.”

Navajo Nation

“The IGCC is put in place for the community to save on energy costs, encouraging wise use of the water supply, safeguarding the depletion of natural resources, and the energy codes will be used to regulate future development practices,” said Philbert Tso (Diné), Building Official for the Township.

Kayenta has been designated as a growth center of the Navajo Nation, which now has restaurants, shops, hotels and other businesses. Kayenta also will home to the Northeast Arizona Technical Institute for Vocational Education (N.A.T.I.V.E.) campus. The N.A.T.I.V.E. campus will provide quality career and technical education to tribal students when it is completed this September. The N.A.T.I.V.E. campus will be the first project built using the IGCC.