Blog - New Buildings Institute

2019 was the Year of Energy Codes and a Big Year for Efficiency

Posted on January 7, 2020 by Jim Edelson

At the beginning of last year, we predicted that 2019 would be a big year for building energy codes, and the results are extremely promising for states—and cities which control their own energy codes–that are working to achieve climate action...

Local Governments Vote Resoundingly for Improved National Energy Codes

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Stacey Hobart

Preliminary voting results on the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) are in! The outcome of over a year of effort to update the national model energy code was released yesterday and is estimated to bring at least 10% better...

Before December 6, Vote for Efficiency in the 2021 IECC

Posted on November 20, 2019 by Eric Makela

After a lengthy stakeholder process, including recent public comment hearings in Las Vegas, registered voting members of the International Code Council (ICC) are now invited to weigh in on the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) proposals. Updated every three...

Reflecting on the 2019 Getting to Zero Forum – Optimism, Urgency and Poised for Action

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Ralph DiNola

As urgency around addressing climate change increases, local leaders are working to define near-term actions, including those targeting the built environment, which accounts for 39% of global carbon emissions. Uptake in actions happening across the United States include: a surge...

Tips for Voters In the 2021 IECC Update

Posted on November 8, 2019 by Amy Cortese

The 2021 International Energy Conservation Code voting dates are set! Voting begins on Tuesday, Nov. 19 and ends on Friday, Dec. 6. If you are a Governmental Member Voting Representative (GMVR), please read through these tips to help ensure it...

Votes Matter for Better Buildings

Posted on October 31, 2019 by Amy Cortese

Building code officials, sustainability officers, builders, efficiency advocates and others are leaving Las Vegas after attending the International Code Council’s (ICC) annual conference and public comment hearings on the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Updated every three years, the...

A Must Read: Landreneau’s Roadmap for Cleaner, Stronger Buildings that Help Solve the Climate Crisis

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Stacey Hobart

Reducing carbon pollution and improving resilience in residential and commercial buildings across the United States was the topic of a House Select Committee hearing on the climate crisis last month. The hearing, “Solving the Climate Crisis: Cleaner, Stronger Buildings,” featured...

Getting to Zero With the Passive House Design Standard 

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Mark Lyles

With growing consensus about the economic and social costs of climate change, an increasing number of cities and states have set ambitious carbon reduction goals. When it comes to the built environment, advanced energy codes and policies have proven to...

NBI Helps Decision Makers Prepare for the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) Update

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Amy Cortese

The 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) update is one of the most profound ways states and local governments can improve the comfort and health of residents, reduce costs for building owners and residents, and make progress toward climate action...

Public Buildings Portfolio Management Helps Cities Get on Track to Meet Climate Goals

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Alexi Miller

Hundreds of cities across the country have set bold, aggressive energy and climate goals. Yet most of these communities are not on track to meet their goals, according to the latest City Clean Energy Scorecard, released in July by American...

NBI Releases Zero Energy Performance Targets for New Construction Projects

Posted on September 10, 2019 by Kevin Carbonnier

When targeting zero energy performance in buildings, the first step is typically setting an energy performance target that the design team can aim for. But, setting that target, typically communicated as the project’s energy use intensity (EUI), is not always...

Is Your City and State Ready to Vote on the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code?

Posted on August 22, 2019 by Amy Cortese

State and local government representatives have the power to advance local energy codes and improve the comfort and health of residents by participating in and voting for efficiency proposals in the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) update. But they...

U.S. Conference of Mayors Unanimously Resolves to Support Advancements to the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)

Posted on August 16, 2019 by Amy Cortese

The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) is known for tackling issues of national importance. Climate change is one of those critical issues that the mayors addressed at their 2019 annual meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii. On July 1, 2019, the USCM...

New Buildings Institute Welcomes New Senior Fellows

Posted on August 13, 2019 by Webly Bowles

New Buildings Institute (NBI) welcomes five top-level industry influencers as new Senior Fellows. These are experts in advanced energy policy, program implementation, research and education who have helped define the efficient use of energy in the built environment. We recognize...

Making the Transition From Zero Energy to Zero Carbon Building Policies

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Jim Edelson

As the building industry transitions into a new era — one focused on delivering carbon-neutral buildings — building codes will continue to play a critical role. This is the third in a series of blog posts about the transformation occurring within...

Decarbonizing Buildings: A Changing Lexicon

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Jim Edelson

From kilowatts to carbon, the language we use matters. Building sector policies and programs across the nation are in the midst of a critical shift from delivering energy efficiency in terms of kWh, to policies and programs that seek carbon...

Key Takeaways From Recent IECC Code Development Hearings

Posted on June 10, 2019 by Eric Makela

Code officials, architects, builders, engineers and energy conservation professionals gathered last month in Albuquerque for the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)’s Committee Action Hearings. The proceedings were the first step in a lengthy stakeholder process to update the 2021 IECC,...

Building Market Titans Team Up to Create a New Energy Future

Posted on May 28, 2019 by Stacey Hobart

Earlier this month, the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii recorded carbon dioxide levels that surpassed 415 parts per million. That’s the highest level in recorded human history. As the potentially devastating impacts from carbon-fueled climate change loom, many cities and...

2019 Zero Energy Buildings Count Nears 600, New Dynamic Tool Offers Online Access to Project Details

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Stacey Hobart

Every year, New Buildings Institute (NBI) digs into its extensive Getting to Zero Buildings Database and analyzes the information collected from thousands of low-energy projects across the United States and Canada in order to offer the market an official count...

Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Goals Converge at the Built Environment

Posted on April 17, 2019 by Jim Edelson

With mounting evidence that immediate and aggressive action is necessary to address climate change, combined with a lack of leadership on this issue by the federal government, state and local governments are taking meaningful actions to adopt, honor, and meet...

A Small Window of Opportunity to Make Huge Gains in Climate Action

Posted on March 19, 2019 by Amy Cortese

Cities face unrelenting demands on policy priorities. Affordable housing, transportation, economic development, climate action, and other pressing issues compete for limited resources and funds. Now is a moment in time, however, when the opportunity to make significant progress toward carbon...

5 Must Haves to Achieve High Marks in Ultra-low Energy Schools

Posted on March 11, 2019 by Amy Cortese

An increasing number of school districts are investing in ultra-low energy facilities and renewables as a way to save on utility costs and create healthier and more productive learning environments for students and staff. In fact, over 219 school buildings...

Local Governments Can Lead by Example in Climate Action, Starting with the Buildings They Own

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Alexi Miller

For communities across the United States that are committed to implementing policies and practices that advance the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, buildings represent a golden opportunity to lead by example. Overall, about 20% of the nation’s building floorspace...

Technology Talk—Getting to Zero Energy in Existing Buildings

Posted on February 22, 2019 by Cathy Higgins

Without upgrading our existing buildings to higher efficiency technologies we have zero hope of getting to zero energy (ZE)–or at least ultra-low energy performance–and our carbon reduction targets. We know that there are many roads to retrofits but rapid scaling...

2019 is the Year of Energy Codes

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Ralph DiNola

If there’s a defining theme for the building sector in 2019, it’s energy codes. Actions to update the rules that cities and states set to determine how effectively new residential and commercial buildings use energy are progressing on several fronts...

New York Invests in Energy-Saving Strategies to Meet Climate Action Goals

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Mark Lyles

New York has emerged as a shining star in local energy policy with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement early last year of an ambitious energy efficiency target to reduce energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs (British thermal units) by...

Four States Make Strides on Advancing Energy Codes

Posted on December 5, 2018 by Kevin Carbonnier

Massachusetts, California and Rhode Island come out on top in the 2018 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard released this fall. The three states ranked high on six categories including utility programs, transportation, building energy codes, combined heat and power, state initiative and...

Ithaca Leads in New York for Net Zero Energy Building Standards

Posted on November 29, 2018 by Stacey Hobart

The energy use in buildings across the town and city of Ithaca is responsible for nearly 75% of carbon emissions, according to the local sustainability officials. To reduce its carbon footprint, the two jurisdictions are taking important steps to increase...

Aiming for Zero Energy in Existing Buildings

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Alexi Miller

This blog was originally published as an article in Facility Executive on October 9, 2018. As the extreme weather impacts of a changing climate become more urgent, cities and states are racing to put in place strategies that will reduce...

Zero Energy Ready Oregon Supports Governor’s Mandate to Transform Buildings to Zero Energy Ready Performance

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Amy Cortese

When Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed Executive Order 17-20 in the fall of 2017, she set Oregon on the path to addressing climate change by ramping up efficiency in Oregon’s buildings. Addressing building efficiency is a critical climate action strategy...