ICC Releases Energy Codes and Building Performance Standards Resource

The International Code Council has published a new resource on building performance standards and energy codes entitled, "Energy Codes and Building Performance Standards: Supporting Energy Use and Emissions Reductions in Buildings," which is the latest in a series of energy efficiency and greenhouse gas resources to help global communities achieve their sustainability and resilience goals. 

The new resource provides code officials and building departments with background on building performance standards and broad recommendations on greater coordination between policies for new and existing buildings. Also highlighted are the benefits of building performance standards and the nuances of policies that are being enacted across the U.S. by state and local governments as well as the federal government. Energy stakeholders will also find clarification on the intricacies of enacted policies. Energy experts, including designers, engineers, trade associations, research organizations and government officials participated in the development with the Code Council to produce the content. 

Code Council's insight

"The Code Council recognizes the growing interest in building performance standards to support the achievement of energy and GHG emissions reduction goals targeting jurisdictions' existing building stock. As the largest international organization of building safety professionals, the Code Council is uniquely qualified to provide both insight and recommendations that can assist building and construction stakeholders in navigating the current building regulatory landscape," says Ryan Colker, vice president of innovation for the International Code Council. "We look forward to collaborating with communities, building performance standards experts, code officials and building departments to address the gaps in coordination between new and existing buildings regulation."

New energy framework established

In March 2021, the Code Council's board of directors issued a new framework to support advancements in energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reductions entitled, "Leading the Way to Energy Efficiency: A Path Forward on Energy and Sustainability to Confront a Changing Climate." The framework included provisions for the development of technical and policy resources that provide communities with tools to support the achievement of their energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction goals. These resources are intended to be used independently and adopted alongside the baseline code to support community needs in specific areas.   

This framework also supports the Code Council's new decarbonization strategy entitled, "Decarbonization of the Built Environment: Solutions from the International Code Council."