Advancing Energy Efficiency and Resilience: DOE Allocates $90 Million in Building Energy Code Grants

In a significant move towards enhancing energy efficiency and building resilience, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced its plans to allocate $90 million in grants. This announcement marks a pivotal moment in the country’s pursuit of energy-efficient and resilient building practices.

The funding is aimed at bolstering the implementation of stronger building energy codes for both new construction and renovated structures across the nation. This initiative, spearheaded by the DOE, is set to transform the way we approach energy consumption and sustainability in the built environment.

See Related: The U.S. Department of Energy Awards Grants to Eight Projects Supported by the International Code Council 

The Need for Stronger Building Energy Codes

Building energy codes play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of adverse events, such as climate change-induced disasters, while also promoting community resilience.

Additionally, the DOE estimates that updated energy codes could reduce carbon emissions by a staggering 900 million metric tons – equivalent to the annual emissions of 108 million homes.

Currently, the nation’s 130 million residential and commercial buildings account for approximately 35 percent of national carbon emissions. Lowering this high percentage can be pivotal for combating the effects of climate change.

DOE’s $90 Million Grant Allocation to Support Energy Codes

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm made the groundbreaking announcement about the grant allocation during her visit to a Louisiana Home Builders Association training facility in mid-July 2023.

The DOE will distribute the grants to 27 projects spanning 26 states and the District of Columbia.

Many departments facing resource challenges will be empowered to make a real impact with this funding. This substantial investment is expected to significantly support community efforts in cutting energy bills and reducing climate impacts.

This transformative endeavor represents a collective step towards building a greener and more sustainable future for generations to come.

The Role of the International Code Council in Supporting Energy Codes

The International Code Council is playing a crucial role in leading a project to develop a digitization roadmap that will assist small and under-resourced jurisdictions in transitioning enforcement processes. The profession is later to adopt technology to streamline effective and efficient enforcement and lowering barriers to transition to digital tools will be helpful.

The Code Council is also collaborating with various organizations to ensure the effective implementation of the adopted codes.

Several projects have been initiated to achieve this:

1. Energy Futures Group (Hinesburg, VT): A program is being developed to administer energy codes for the State of Vermont.
2. Elevate Energy (Chicago, IL): A resource hub will be established to facilitate compliance with advanced energy codes and building policies in Illinois, including decarbonization, benchmarking and building performance standards.
3. Colorado Energy Office (Denver, CO): Support will be provided to foster energy code adoption, training and technical assistance at the local level within the state.
4. City of Fort Collins (Fort Collins, CO): This project aims to develop new stretch code language and offer implementation assistance and workforce training programs.
5. ASHRAE (Peachtree Corners, GA): A nationwide, multi-year project is being launched to develop and deploy education and training resources specifically targeted at energy code officials.
6. New Buildings Institute (Portland, OR): Support will be provided to develop highly efficient and resilient construction practices that consider affordability and regional characteristics for the Southwest.
7. Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (Atlanta, GA): A strategic approach to deliver technical assistance, training and workforce development for the implementation of Louisiana’s new energy code.

The Code Council’s Collaborative Efforts

The Code Council worked closely with state and local governments, as well as other industry stakeholders, to develop proposals that align with community needs and the funding opportunity guidelines. Our efforts include leading collaboration efforts, bringing stakeholders to the table, and recommending solutions to address the needs identified, our efforts are instrumental in driving sustainability, fostering resilience and promoting energy efficiency nationwide.

Stella Carr, Energy and Resilience Project Manager at the Code Council, is the lead staff member helping to work with members on preparing strong applications to take advantage of this historic funding.

Additionally, she helps to coordinate new partnerships for projects to form strong collaborative proposals for these grants.

If you are interested in learning about how you can work with the Code Council on a future grant project or understanding what your organization needs to do to prepare for the federal grant process, please contact Stella at energygrants@iccsafe.org.

To learn more about additional federal grant opportunities and how the Code Council can assist, click here.

To schedule a meeting with Stella Carr, click here.