Springfield, Illinois – The state of Illinois has released its first integrated, custom energy code, with plans in place for the release of an additional stretch energy code later this year. The new energy code was derived from the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC) and positions the state as a national leader in energy conservation.

“Illinois is committed to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions,” said the Capital Development Board Executive Director, TJ Edwards. “The new 2021 Illinois Energy Conservation Code puts Illinois at the forefront of energy efficient building construction and saves the average new homeowner almost 10% on utility bills. The Capital Development Board’s partnership with the Code Council to publish the Illinois Energy Conservation Code will make it easier for owners, designers, and officials to implement and enforce the code.”

The Illinois Capital Development Board is also working with the International Code Council to publish a stretch energy code for jurisdictions seeking enhanced energy efficiency standards beyond the base code. The residential stretch energy code will be based on the 2021 IECC and the commercial stretch energy code will be based on the 2024 IECC.

“Illinois has emerged as a leader on the national stage for its commitment to energy conservation,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “We look forward to future collaborations and commend Illinois for prioritizing and leveraging building codes to improve energy efficiency within its communities.”

This week, the Capital Development Board will ship complimentary copies of the new energy code to most jurisdictions statewide. The Code Council will continue its support of the Illinois Energy Code with future training planned for code officials and building departments charged with the implementation and enforcement of the code.

The U.S. Department of Energy has acknowledged the 2021 IECC for its resilience benefits in response to the growing frequency of extreme weather events. Fourteen states have adopted minimum energy codes based on the 2021 IECC or its equivalent, affecting over a third of the U.S. population (119 million Americans).

Learn more about the 2021 Illinois Energy Conservation Code here.

Learn more about the Code Council’s energy resources here.

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About the International Code Council
The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions. Code Council codes, standards and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide.

Washington D.C. – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has finalized the 2024 edition of the Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service (P100). The 2024 edition of this standard marks the continued use of the International Codes® (I-Codes) as the building codes used for GSA owned buildings, and establishes them as the standard for other codes to be considered against. The GSA is the federal government’s largest civilian real estate provider and owns and leases over 363 million square feet of space in 8,397 buildings in more than 2,200 communities nationwide. This year’s newly announced P100 edition requires for the first time the International Code Council and Modular Building Institute’s (MBI) co-created ICC/MBI 1200 and ICC/MBI 1205 Standards for projects using off-site construction.

The Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service (P100) establishes mandatory design standards and performance criteria for GSA-owned buildings. P100 is a mandatory standard that design and construction professionals must abide by. GSA updates the P100 every three years.

ICC/MBI Standards 1200 and 1205 are part of ICC/MBI’s existing series of off-site construction standards. The 1200 series comprehensively covers the entire life cycle of off-site construction projects, from design and fabrication to approval and inspection. In the last five months, both Virginia and Utah adopted these standards statewide. Additional state adoptions are expected in the coming months. More information can be found here.

“We welcome GSA’s continued support for the I-Codes and standards,” said Code Council Vice President of Innovation Ryan Colker. “Off-site construction is increasingly being recognized as a strategy to deliver higher performing buildings. Seeing off-site construction standards being required for the first time in P100 is a great step forward in helping federal agencies take advantage of the benefits. We look forward to continued work with all levels of government to support their use of the standards and leverage the benefits consistency in requirements provide.”

The updated P100 standard includes continued requirements tied to the following I-Codes:

• International Plumbing Code®
• International Mechanical Code®
• International Fire Code®
• International Fuel Gas Code®
• International Wildland-Urban Interface Code®
• International Building Code®
• International Residential Code®
• International Green Construction Code®

Learn more about the GSA’s 2024 P100 standard here.

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About the International Code Council
The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions. Code Council codes, standards and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide.

Washington, D.C. – The International Code Council is co-sponsoring the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) 2024 Innovative Housing Showcase taking place from June 6-9, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The Code Council is hosting an educational session during the event titled Avenues for Innovation: Insights from State and Local Governments and Manufacturers on Thursday, June 6, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET. The panel sessions will be viewable online and in-person at the District Architecture Center.

The Innovative Housing Showcase is a public event that raises awareness of innovative and affordable housing designs and technologies that can increase housing supply, lower the cost of construction, increase energy efficiency and resilience, and reduce housing expenses. The Showcase also features innovative housing solutions on the National Mall from June 8-9. The Code Council will have a booth at the Showcase.

The Avenues for Innovation event will include a fireside chat titled Delivering Innovations in Building Science through Codes and Standards followed by panel discussions. The first panel discussion, Addressing Housing Affordability and Availability through Off-Site Construction, will be moderated by Code Council Vice President of Innovation Ryan Colker. Panel speakers include:

• Steve Waltrip, Housing Innovation and Senior Strategy Advisor
• Spencer Cox, Utah Governor
• Paige Roosa, Director, Boston Housing Innovation Lab, Office of the Mayor
• Ryan Terbush, Commercial Loan Officer, Colorado Housing and Finance Agency

This panel will explore state and local success stories and opportunities around off-site construction related to building policies that have led to addressing affordability and availability challenges.

The second panel discussion, Bringing Innovative Materials and Products to Market, will be moderated by Michael Temesvary, Vice President, ICC Evaluation Service. This panel will examine how manufacturers of innovative materials and products have been able to gain acceptance from designers, builders and code officials using product evaluation. Manufacturers will share their experiences with product evaluation and the benefits they have seen.

“Housing affordability and availability is an issue that is necessary to address, and I cannot think of a better group of people to speak on the topic than our selected panelists,” said Colker. “Attendees will not only get the opportunity to educate themselves on the housing crisis but should also leave feeling inspired about possible solutions.”

Learn more about the showcase here.

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About the International Code Council
The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions. Code Council codes, standards and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide.

Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands – Governor Albert Bryan Jr. of the U.S. Virgin Islands recently approved legislation that requires the adopted 2018 International Building Code® (IBC), International Residential Code® (IRC), International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC), International Fire Code® (IFC) and International Mechanical Code® (IMC) be updated to the 2024 editions. This also requires the territory to update all codes within six months of any new I-Code edition being published.

“Implementing updated International Codes® facilitates the modernization of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ building regulatory framework and enhances the well-being of its communities,” said International Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “We commend this commitment to leveraging building codes to maximize public safety. This sets an example for other territories to evaluate current building codes and construction practices as they relate to the safety, resiliency and sustainability of buildings in the region.”

The I-Codes are base codes that establish the minimum requirements to ensure safe and resilient structures, and the benefits of adopting modern building codes include cost reduction and casualty prevention. Learn more about building code advocacy here.

Learn more about the new legislature here.

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About the International Code Council
The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions. Code Council codes, standards and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide.