Adopt Energy Conservation Building Codes

What are Building Energy Conservation Codes?

The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is a residential building code created by the International Code Council to establish minimum design and construction requirements for energy efficiency in buildings. Codes established by the International Code Council are the most widely adopted codes for residential structures in the United States and many other global markets. Commercial building codes are largely based on the ASHRAE 90.1 standards developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Some states currently uses building codes that predate the rapid expansion of energy efficiency. To create a greater market for efficiency products, states could adopt the more current 2015 IECC building codes. Alternatively, states may choose to wait for the 2018 version to be released since the codes are updated every three years.

Changes in the 2015 IECC (over the 2012 version) that have a beneficial impact on residential energy include:

To support a competitive market for building energy efficiency, states could implement the most recent building codes and couple their code adoption with a strong compliance plan. The costs of implementing the additional requirements in the 2015 codes vary across building type, but research shows that each subsequent IECC has led to considerable savings over the prior codes and decreases the cost of energy.