Research Topics
Take a look inside the exciting world of energy codes and discover the numerous benefits of energy-efficient buildings.
Access to information is a critical component to achieving successful compliance. Given the diversity of the building code community, execution of strategic outreach campaigns can improve understanding of code changes, create buy‐in, and can lead to greater levels of compliance.
Buildings are big users of energy (accounting for over 40% of all energy use in the U.S.) and as a result the sector is a major contributor to global climate disruption. In the face of slow international action and rising global energy prices, the energy that could be saved from the buildings sector looms large part of the solution to climate change. By improving building performance with energy efficiency measures, energy codes provide an immediate strategy to address this global crisis.
Training is critical for effective implementation of building energy codes. Code inspectors and members of the building and design communities must understand the code requirements for building systems, lighting, insulation, windows, HVAC, and other building components to ensure that they comply with the code. Training is also the easiest way to stay current on the latest...
The International Code Council (ICC), a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops and publishes 13 codes used to regulate residential and commercial building construction, including the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt energy codes choose the IECC. The ICC’s code development process is open to the public,...
Implementation tools have the ability to significantly improve code compliance and enforcement. At the same time, implementation tools can allow code departments to work more efficiently, helping overtaxed building departments mitigate an increased demand for their services. A...
Building energy codes require proper enforcement to achieve their intended results. Without a significant emphasis on enforcement, compliance diminishes, and the outcome is always the same: new building or renovation projects that fail to realize their full potential for energy savings and the myriad benefits that go along with them.
States and local jurisdictions have many opportunities to access funding made available by the U.S. federal government to improve building energy performance through energy codes. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) State Energy Program (SEP) provides funding to states via annual appropriations from Congress, as well as special SEP projects funded by the DOE’s Office of...
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Green buildings represent a holistic, eco-conscious approach to construction that encourages energy efficiency, water conservation, resource management, renewable energy sources, occupant health, and environmental stewardship. Green codes lead a path towards more sustainable communities by mandating all new buildings be constructed using these principles that encourage the construction of green buildings. According to BCAP's...
State-level policies on building energy codes vary widely across the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories and can sometimes vary within states. In most cases codes are adopted through a legislative process (i.e. the code is updated by a bill that is passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor), a regulatory process (i.e. the legislature has granted a state agency the power to issue a code), or—most commonly—through a process that...
Building codes are a crucial component of any successful energy policy because they create easy-to-understand minimum requirements for all new construction. In order to enjoy the economic and environmental benefits of an energy efficient building sector, a state or municipality must first go through the process of adopting an energy efficient building code. By adopting building energy codes, a state creates a specific baseline goal to which it can compare current performance and...
Making the right technical decisions can be difficult for designers and builders. Choosing one building material over another – whether building framing, installation, or windows – can be difficult, and one minor detail can create a dramatic change in energy efficiency. When faced with technical design decisions, it is important that building professionals are on the same page to ensure buildings are energy efficient and also satisfy structural and cost requirements.
There is no denying the potential to save money through tougher energy codes. Recent BCAP analysis has shown that, given an appropriate payback period, in most cases the financial savings from reduced energy use in a home built to the model energy codes will be higher in the long run than the initial upfront cost increase to build to those higher standards. The property value of energy-efficient buildings will also be greater than those that don’t meet model codes, as more consumers...
Electric and gas utilities in the U.S. have grown increasingly supportive of energy efficiency during the last decade. However, to date almost all utility groups have stopped short of actively supporting the implementation of energy codes. Fortunately, emerging frameworks and financial incentives are creating opportunities for utilities to advance energy codes and help their bottom line.
Energy efficiency is an issue that transcends international boundaries. To respond to the global need to reduce building energy consumption, building professionals and policymakers alike must draw on innovative technical and programmatic solutions from home and abroad.