The mission of the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) is to promote energy efficiency, green building and environmental protection in the United States and abroad. The organization’s activities include technical and market research, educational outreach, and the crafting of building codes and other policy and program initiatives. IMT works to strengthen linkages among property value, green building and energy performance. In late 2011 and early 2012, IMT released six case studies that detail energy code compliance best practices and lessons learned from a number of market segments.
For more information on IMT’s work on energy code compliance and other building energy efficiency issues, please visit IMT’s website at imt.org.
Design Professional Accountability Case Study
This code compliance case study looks at the Wisconsin practice requiring design professionals to sign a statement of compliance at the completion of a building project. This practice requires that a design professional be involved not only with the plan review, but also during the construction process.
Streamlining Compliance Processes
This code compliance case study looks at how building inspection departments can improve the enforcement of building codes, including energy, through streamlined processes.
Residential Performance Testing in Georgia
This code compliance case study looks at the efforts undertaken by code officials in Georgia to meet the state’s residential performance testing requirement.
Third Party Plan Review Case Study
This code compliance case study looks at the role of third-party plan review as a way to improve compliance with building energy codes.
Third Party Performance Testing: An Austin Case Study
In the City of Austin, Texas, the adoption and implementation of a requirement for third-party testing to verify compliance with energy codes in new residential buildings has bolstered energy efficient residential construction. The process of designing and adopting a third-party testing requirement has generated awareness among developers, homebuilders, and contractors of the need to achieve minimum energy efficiency standards. Implementation of a code-required testing program has held these stakeholders more accountable for seeing that these standards are met. The end result: higher energy code compliance rates in newly constructed homes.
Third Parties in the Implementation of Building Energy Codes in China
What is the definition of the compliance rate in China’s enforcement of building energy codes? If the improvement data are accurate, how is it that China has been able to bring about such impressive improvements in only five years? This paper will try to answer the above questions, with a focus on the role of third parties in the implementation of building energy codes. The paper concludes that strong governmental support and effective employment of third parties, coupled with strict quality control and supervision, are the key factors for China’s impressive improvement of compliance with building energy codes.
White Paper: Successful Strategies for Improving Compliance with Building Energy Codes
A summary of successful energy code compliance programs and guidelines for implementation of energy codes in states and municipalities. Conclusions presented at the 2012 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.