A New Day in Advancing Energy Efficiency

Yesterday the International Code Council Board of Directors voted to move forward with a new framework to assist governments and building industry stakeholders in meeting energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction goals. Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback with the Code Council. We heard your concerns and incorporated them into this plan.

This framework – called Leading the Way to Energy Efficiency: A Path Forward on Energy and Sustainability to Confront a Changing Climate – includes moving the development of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) to a standards process.

The Board determined that for the IECC a standards development process would allow for additional time for debate, additional avenues to reach consensus, and a continuous maintenance cycle to facilitate the IECC's ability to keep up with the pace of changing technology, which collectively will strengthen the code and its adoptability. Future editions of the IECC will build on prior successes including an increase of efficiency requirements by about 40%, or an average of 8% a cycle from 2006 to 2021, allowing the IECC to remain a strong avenue for communities to reach their energy efficiency and sustainability goals globally

The IECC will be developed under a revised scope and be part of a portfolio of greenhouse gas reduction solutions that could address electric vehicles, electrification and decarbonization, grid interactivity/efficiency, existing buildings performance standards and more. The framework will serve as a coordinated, comprehensive strategy to support the needs of communities, building on the Code Council’s strong foundation of technical solutions provided by the IECC, International Residential Code and International Green Construction Code.

Under a standards development process, the IECC will be developed by committees that represent diversity across nine interest categories and assure representation from a diversity of jurisdictions, experiences in building types and energy efficiency strategies, and geographies. Recognizing the important role of governments in the adoption and use of the IECC, the framework ensures that government officials continue to have a leading voice. One third of committee membership and the voting committee chairs will represent the government regulatory category.

In addition, the Code Council’s new framework will provide optional requirements aimed at achieving net zero energy buildings presently and by 2030. The Code Council will also establish an Energy and Carbon Advisory Council of governmental and industry leaders to inform the Code Council’s efforts.

The Code Council remains committed to assisting communities in meeting their energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction priorities, and educating its members regarding the new process. Our staff will work closely with members, chapters, and stakeholders to ensure everyone interested understands how to get involved in the process.

A call for applications for the development committees will go out in March. In addition, the Code Council will begin outreach in March to fill the Energy and Carbon Advisory Council.

For additional information:

• The executive summary and full framework are available online.
• An infographic detailing the changes is here.
• Read the frequently asked questions.
• For additional resources, visit www.iccsafe.org/energy