What does the next chapter of energy efficiency look like for Austin?

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Kamaria Greenfield

by Kamaria Greenfield, BCAP When Texans look to their state capital, they see a diverse and sprawling metropolis of just under a million people, a vibrant cultural and economic hub, and a downtown skyline undergoing rapid transformation. Less visible is the city’s long and continued commitment to the energy efficiency of its built environment. Austin stands as a fine example of how a city can go beyond minimum statewide requirements to give its residents a better, greener future. In additi...

Miami takes the next STEP with solar training for design professionals

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Kamaria Greenfield

by Kamaria Greenfield, BCAP As of last summer, Florida’s energy code incorporates Section 406 of the 2015 IECC: the Energy Rating Index. This provision – which includes a backstop to ensure an efficient building envelope – represents a huge opportunity to integrate the power of renewable energy into new building designs. With over 100,000 new housing unit permits authorized in 2015 alone, Florida is a state poised to have a huge impact on national building energy usage patterns...

Timely Solar Training for Design Professionals Coming Soon

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Kamaria Greenfield

by Maria Ellingson, BCAP Program Director NOTE: This blog post is part of the SunShot Initiative’s series on solar and real estate. Read all the posts here. Learn more about the SunShot Initiative and register for training here America’s demand for solar energy is spreading - and fast. In just the last eight years, solar electricity generation has increased 30 fold and solar jobs are growing 12 times faster than the rest of the economy. Recent federal policies are making solar even...

Solar PV Subject Matter Experts Wanted for National Training Project

Posted on May 25, 2016 by admin

The Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP) and the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) are seeking Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to help develop, review and perfect solar photo-voltaic (PV) training materials and messaging for design professionals. Incorporating solar energy into the design of buildings and homes not only saves future owners from the expense of adding solar later, but will reduce the operational costs of the building. BCAP and CSE have been selected by the U.S. Department of E...

U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative Selects the Building Codes Assistance Project and Center for Sustainable Energy to Provide Solar Training and Education to Design Professionals

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Kamaria Greenfield

CONTACT: Maria EllingsonBuilding Codes Assistance Project419-724-4571mellingson@bcapcodes.org Ian MonahanCenter for Sustainable Energy858-634-4927ian.monahan@energycenter.org Visit BCAP’sSunShot Initiative Page WASHINGTON, DC, May 17, 2016 — The Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP), the trusted, non-partisan U.S. leader for energy codes advocacy, research, analysis, and training, has won a cooperative award from the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. In partners...

Florida’s New Train-The-Trainer Program Launches

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Kamaria Greenfield

The Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) and the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) have teamed up to prepare building code trainers to deliver effective energy code training for the Florida construction industry. The organizations developed a curriculum in early 2015 and held the first train-the-trainer series in late February. The train-the-trainer session’s purpose is to introduce the curriculum, training techniques, and valuable skills to new and existing local trainers as...

The Carrot Or The Stick? Navigating The Balance In Strategies For Improving Energy Code Compliance

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Kamaria Greenfield

Written by Ryan Meres and Seul Rhee Energy efficiency advocates, governments, utilities, and others that fund energy code compliance initiatives often question whether enforcement or training and outreach are more effective at driving higher compliance rates. The answer isn’t obvious. Case in point: a recent energy code auditing initiative of New York City’s Department of Buildings is driving more stakeholders to meet the energy code, proving that more stringent enforcement increases...