The International Code Council and Partners Focus on Workforce Development for Distributed Energy Resources
As communities and infrastructure incorporate these emerging energy technologies into our buildings, it becomes essential to understand how to work with them.
Development of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC) is well underway, with more provisions related to distributed energy resources (DERs) proposed than ever before.
DERs refer to power generation and storage systems, such as solar panels and wind turbines, located near the point of energy consumption that aims to create a more resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure.
For commercial and residential projects, these DER provisions include requirements or options for renewable energy systems, electric vehicle (EV) charging, battery energy storage systems and electric readiness, among others.
See Related: Exploring ways to get involved in the code development process
Understanding Emerging Energy Technologies
As communities and infrastructure incorporate these emerging energy technologies into our buildings, it becomes essential to understand how to work with them. DERs are proving to be the way of the future, and timely and accurate information can help ensure that these technologies are safe and effective.
Part of the U.S. Department of Energy-funded EMPOWERED program, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s (IREC) Clean Energy Clearinghouse offers access to free educational resources that break down common questions on solar, energy storage, high-performance buildings, EV charging equipment and permitting and inspection.
These resources are vetted by national experts and include IREC’s Solar PV Safety for Firefighters course, a webinar recording on what impacts the safe installation of energy storage systems and more.
Courses also offer Continuing Education Units (CEU) from industry-recognized organizations including the Code Council, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and IREC’s Clean Energy Training website. Contractors, building officials, first responders and others in the field can get the education they need to advance their careers, and those new to the industry will benefit from the numerous resources dedicated to growing and expanding these fields.
To date, over 75,000 building safety professionals from all 50 states have utilized the free resources available through the EMPOWERED program.
“Clean Energy training is detailed, organized and very helpful in my work,” said Liam Ehrenzweig, a building inspector in New Hampshire. “With the rise of energy costs, the number of PV (photovoltaic), EV charging and ESS (energy storage system) electrical permits is increasing each year. I reference course material from Clean Energy Training prior to each inspection, and really appreciate the content I have received—for free!”
For more information, visit the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s website.
About the Author
The International Code Council is a nonprofit association that provides a wide range of building safety solutions, including product evaluation, accreditation, certification, codification and training. It develops model codes and standards used worldwide to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures.
