Energy Code Adoptions in 2015

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Kamaria Greenfield

Hawaii In July 2015, the Hawaii State Building Code Council unanimously approved the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with amendments. The code sets energy efficiency requirements for both residential and commercial buildings. Read more about this code here. Maryland On January 1, 2015, the State of Maryland adopted the 2015 IECC with local adoption and enforcement required by July 1, 2015. It was the first state to adopt the most recent model energy code. New Jersey In Septemb...

New Year, New Codes

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Kamaria Greenfield

Energy efficiency rang in the New Year with seven states implementing new and improved building energy codes. The 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), the latest version of the energy code, is now enforced in Maryland and Vermont; the 2012 IECC is implemented in Idaho, Minnesota, and New York; and the 2009 IECC is used in Arkansas and Louisiana. Here, some key facts about the new state code updates: 2015 IECC Maryland is the first state to enforce the newest and most efficient ve...

Outreach to Architects in Pennsylvania

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Kamaria Greenfield

by Maria Ellingson, BCAP As often the first point of contact with prospective owners of new homes and buildings, architects are a key influencer in determining the level of energy efficiency that is included in new construction and major renovation projects. But architects have been largely absent from an important issue that’s left Pennsylvania unable to adopt an updated building code. The process for adopting the state building code - the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) - is currently de...

What Have We Done Lately?

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Kamaria Greenfield

BCAP asked the National Energy Codes Collaborative:What have we done in 2014? Approval for DOE National Energy Codes Conference in Nashville, TN Determinations ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 (final) 2015 IECC (preliminary) HUD 2009 (preliminary Compliance Initiatives Circuit Rider in Florida, Massachusetts, Rhode Island Utility programs in Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Rhode Island Collaboratives in Minnesota, Oklahoma Baseline studies in Colorado, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio C...

The Architect as Superhero

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Kamaria Greenfield

Maureen Guttman, President of the Building Codes Assistance Project, exhorts architects to take more responsibility for model energy code adoption and implementation. How can architects build a new world of sustainable communities? By taking more responsibility for model energy code adoption and implementation. At the Hanley Wood Vision 2020 Sustainability Summit, held in conjunction with the 2014 Greenbuild in New Orleans, BCAP President Maureen Guttman encourages architects to let go of ...

Time For Action: Why We Need To Say Yes To Building Energy Codes

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Kamaria Greenfield

At BCAP’s Annual Energy Codes Stakeholders Meeting in Washington D.C. on December 9th, several key threads emerged from the wealth of energy code knowledge and discourse that unfolded during the day. As we as a community push forward to develop new strategies for better buildings in the coming years, we should also work to deploy the information and policies already at our disposal. For example, a glance at one of BCAP’s recent code adoption maps reveals that many states are still ba...

Energy Codes Get It Done

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Kamaria Greenfield

If every state began 2015 with the 2012 IECC for residential and commercial construction and moved from 60% compliance to 100% compliance by 2030, how much would the cumulative source energy savings, energy cost savings, and carbon emission reductions be in 2030? Using the energy data provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and BCAP’s Energy Code Calculator, BCAP calculated the estimated savings and reductions in each state. Cumulative State Savings (view full-size v...

Engaging More Architects To Meet The Compliance Goal

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Kamaria Greenfield

by Seul Rhee While many states have worked hard to adopt the 2009 or 2012 International Energy Conservation Code, implementation and compliance are sometimes overlooked. But that is changing. National, regional, and local focus is shifting to address meeting the 90 percent compliance goal set by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Working with numerous state energy offices (22 states and counting) to investigate and assess a state’s existing energy code infrastructure, one ...

2009 Energy Code Adoptions Required by ARRA – Where Are They Now?

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Kamaria Greenfield

by Shari Shapiro A long time ago in a first term far away, there was the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), a.k.a the Stimulus. As explained by the DOE, the ARRA section on State Energy Program funding included a statutory provision (Section 410) linking SEP funding to building energy code adoption and enforcement. As a condition of accepting the ARRA funding, the states provided assurances through governor’s letters indicating their state would comply with the terms of Section...