In May 2013, eight code enforcement professionals from across Ohio were trained to become Energy Code Ambassadors for the state in a newly improved program offered by the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP) and the International Code Council (ICC). BCAP and ICC partnered with the Ohio Development Services Agency’s Office of Energy to launch the Ohio Energy Code Ambassador Program (ECAP) in coordination with the Ohio Board of Building Standards (BBS). With support from two utilities in the state – Columbia Gas of Ohio and AEP Ohio – the program has set a new standard for ECAP:

• Ambassador training was expanded to two days, with travel reimbursements for those attending from long distances. The program was delivered in a “train-the-trainer” format, with copies of ready-made presentation slides provided to participants.
• Following the training, participants were offered two free online ICC prep exam courses, to further prepare them for passing the ICC energy certification exams.
• The costs for two ICC certification exams were covered for each participant.
• Upon receiving the ICC accreditation, Ambassadors or their jurisdictions are offered a cash incentive for each time they provide support to other jurisdictions. These “honoraria” allow Ambassadors to reach out to other jurisdictions, and will offset the cost of their time and travel through 2013.

These updates are a step in the right direction, but to maximize the impact that ECAP can have – while remaining a cost-effective program – it must continually evolve and improve. BCAP is working with the Ohio Development Services Agency’s Office of Energy on plans that will allow targeted jurisdictions to receive technical assistance and guidance from Ohio Ambassadors via circuit rider training, in hopes of assessing the level of code compliance and gaps in energy code knowledge within the construction community. Stay tuned for future ECAP news from Ohio!

For more information on ECAP, contact Maria Ellingson at (419) 724-4571 or mellingson@bcapcodes.org.