Current Codes
Mandatory energy efficiency standards in Mexico are known as NOM-ENER and were first published in 1995. In August 2014, a national commercial energy code based on International Code Council (ICC) methodology was developed and proposed. According to ICC, the IECC-Mexico is the first Energy Conservation Model Code outside of the US. See IPEEC’s factsheet on a summary of building code implementation in Mexico.
Helpful Links
- Comision Nacional para el Uso Eficiente de la Energia (National Commission for the Efficient Use of Energy)
- Energy Efficiency Programmes in Developing and Transitional APEC Economies 2003
- Article: GreenWatch Latin America: Mexico’s building professionals poised to put EDGE on the map February 25, 2016
- Article: Building a More Competitive Mexico City Through Energy Efficiency April 1, 2015
History
In 2011, the Alliance to Save Energy and BCAP advised students from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) on a project to fill in the gaps in commercial energy code implementation in Mexico. Both groups met with the students in DC to discuss the project, provide energy code policy guidance, and connect them to governmental, private and non-profit institution contacts in Mexico City. Mexico has both mandatory and voluntary energy codes. Commercial energy code compliance falls short due to limited awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency, a reluctance to adopt new technologies, and a lack of institutional capacity. Finally, developers do not receive any incentives to build energy efficient buildings. Following extensive research and a visit to Mexico to meet with relevant stakeholders, the students plan to develop specific policy recommendations. Their goal is for their recommendations to affect public policy in Mexico that will improve commercial energy code compliance. They also hope that their work will inform other efforts in Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies.