2024 Residential IECC NBI Public Comments
Codes & Policy / December 14, 2022
New Buildings Institute has submitted public comments on the 2024 IECC Public Comment Draft #1. The proposed public comments cover a wide range of measures and improve the code by adding additional efficiency, clarifying requirements, and creating greater flexibility for...
How to comment on the 2024 Residential IECC
Codes & Policy / November 8, 2022
The public comment draft of the 2024 residential IECC is now available and proposed recommendations could result in energy savings, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and improved grid reliability benefits. Because of the potential impact of the code, this...
How to comment on the 2024 Commercial IECC
Codes & Policy / September 28, 2022
The public comment draft of the 2024 commercial IECC is now available and proposed recommendations could result in energy savings, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and improved grid reliability benefits. Because of the potential impact of the code, this...
2024 IECC Code Change Proposal Updates
Codes & Policy / February 15, 2022
June 2022 Updates The full consensus committees approved several NBI code proposals, a number of proposals that will improve the efficiency of existing buildings including: CEPI-217 which requires existing buildings undergoing an addition, alteration or change of occupancy to be...
2024 IECC Code Change Proposal Synopsis
Codes & Policy / February 14, 2022
Below you will find summaries of the draft code amendments and links to revision details that were submitted by NBI into the ICC process to advance the 2024 IECC. They are identified as Commercial or Residential and categorized by efficiency,...
Embodied Carbon
Codes & Policy / February 13, 2022
Building operations and construction-related activities are responsible for approximately 39% of humanity‘s global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. More than a fourth of those are embodied carbon emissions, those associated with the production of building materials, construction activities, operations, and end...
Building Performance Standards
Codes & Policy / January 21, 2022
Building performance standards (BPS) set targets for existing building energy performance and are one of the best tools we have for achieving deep energy savings and emissions reductions in existing buildings. They can be written to optimize the energy use...
2024 IECC National Model Energy Code (Base Codes)
Codes & Policy / September 29, 2021 / Energy Codes
Work to update the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is underway. NBI submitted 50 proposals into the International Code Council’s (ICC) process to advance the 2024 IECC. The proposed amendments cover a wide range of measures and improve the...
Model and Base Energy Codes
Codes & Policy / July 16, 2021 / Energy Codes
For more than 20 years, NBI has been working with partners and within the code-making bodies to advance codes at the national, state, and local government levels. National model energy codes and standards like ASHRAE 90.1 and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) have...
2021 IECC National Model Energy Code (Base Codes)
Codes & Policy / May 15, 2020 / Energy Codes
After about a decade with few meaningful updates to the IECC, the 2021 improvements are poised to help the code catch up to modern-day building technology and practices, reducing millions of tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere while reducing...
Zero Cities Project
Codes & Policy / February 13, 2019 / Energy Codes
The Zero Cities Project is a three-year project supporting both cities and their most impacted communities* to co-develop and implement actionable and equitable roadmaps and policy strategies to achieve a zero-net-carbon (ZNC) building sector by 2050. Through a community collaboration...
Zero Energy/Carbon Codes
Codes & Policy / October 28, 2018 / Zero Net Energy (ZNE)
Building energy codes are playing an increasing in facilitating the move to ZE buildings. As advances in construction practices and building components and systems are proven out, communities are strengthening the building codes so that higher levels of building efficiency...
Stretch Codes (Advanced Codes)
Codes & Policy / October 15, 2018 / Energy Codes
New design and process strategies can be demonstrated through a variety of advanced code strategies. NBI builds market capacity for higher efficiency energy codes by encouraging the use of stretch codes (also referred to as reach codes). To support the...
Washington State Energy Code Roadmap to 2031
Codes & Policy / October 15, 2018 / Energy Codes
Many organizations and jurisdictions have adopted a range of building performance goals over the past decade that have significantly changed the conversation about energy codes and building energy performance. The primary policy driver for the Washington State Energy Code increases in...
2018 IECC Code (Base Codes)
Codes & Policy / September 14, 2016
NBI demonstrated its leadership in codes by submitting proposals for the IECC that included a unified chapter for multifamily housing codes and a lighting measure to begin to tackle indoor agricultural energy usage before the industry expands further. FINAL STATUS...
Steps to Achieving Outcome-Based Energy Codes
Codes & Policy / December 22, 2015
Outcome-based energy codes, codes require that a number of policy, data and administration pieces be put in place.
Tool 4 | Demand Response in the IgCC
Codes & Policy / December 22, 2015
Recommended Action: Approve GEW-54 As Modified by PC1 and PC2 and GEW 58-14AMPC Background Demand response (DR) refers to the ability to adjust energy use in response to a price or information signal from a grid operator or other automated...
Tool 3 | Renewable Energy in the IgCC
Codes & Policy / December 22, 2015
Approved GEW-133-14 AMPC and GEW-137-14 Background Over the past several years, onsite renewable energy systems have been evolving and are being deployed at an increasing rate that exceeds the ability of construction codes to keep pace. The 2015 International Code...
Tool 2 | Cool Roofs in the IgCC
Codes & Policy / December 22, 2015
Recommended Action: Approve GG163, GG166, GG168, GG169 and GG302 Disapprove GG77, GG156, GG164 Background Mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect can produce benefits for buildings, neighborhoods, cities, suburban areas, and the globe. Air-conditioned buildings can see reduced energy bills...
Tool 1 | Outcome-Based Compliance in the IgCC
Codes & Policy / December 22, 2015
Recommended Action: Approve GEW-147 AMPC Background Currently, energy codes offer two primary pathways to demonstrate required energy savings: modeled and prescriptive. Prescriptive pathways limit the ability of architects and engineers to use integrated systems and innovative technologies to lower a...
zEPI
Codes & Policy / December 22, 2015
The 2015 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) includes many progressive measures that will improve the energy performance of buildings. One important provision describes the Zero Energy Performance Index (zEPI), which provides a scale for measuring commercial building energy performance. zEPI...
Zero Net Energy Policies
Codes & Policy / December 22, 2015
Policies and programs can dramatically change the landscape for Zero Net Energy (ZNE) buildings. There is burgeoning market interest in ZNE, and policies and programs can foster and grow that interest through leadership, direct support, and the reduction of risks and...
Aligning Utility Programs with Local Codes (Policy)
Codes & Policy / December 22, 2015
Bringing energy codes to market often involves a comprehensive approach that starts years before a code is adopted by a local jurisdiction. NBI provides technical assistance through each stage of code development. NBI aggregates technical information from existing high performance buildings. Observed trends...
Outcome-Based Energy Codes (Advanced Codes)
Codes & Policy / December 21, 2015
Our nation’s current energy codes include structural and enforcement characteristics that limit the ability to achieve significantly more energy savings without major changes. Current energy code strategies consider only a limited number of the factors that impact building energy performance. ...
2015 IECC AND IEBC (Base Codes)
Codes & Policy / December 21, 2015
NBI and several other leading organizations proposed code revisions for a range of I-Codes including the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and the International Existing Building Code (IEBC). Proposals focused on the usability and effectiveness of the energy provisions in...
Model Energy & Green Codes
Codes & Policy / December 19, 2015
NBI works collaboratively with a wide range of industry partners to bring model energy codes up to current market capabilities. Measures promoted by NBI include higher efficiency standards for equipment and advanced design strategies such as daylighting. Once adopted by states...
COMNET (Polcy)
Codes & Policy / December 19, 2015 / Policy
NBI manages the development of COMNET, a quality assurance initiative to standardize building energy modeling, by creating consistent baselines relative to various energy codes and standards. COMNET extends and supports existing systems for assessing and rating the energy efficiency of...
Aligning Utility Programs with Codes
Codes & Policy / July 1, 2011
In many cases, utility energy efficiency programs, utility incentives, and jurisdictional stretch code programs can be aligned. For example, Massachusetts has set a state-approved stretch code as an optional path for adoption by local jurisdictions. To date, that stretch codes...
Stretch Codes
Codes & Policy / July 1, 2011
New design and process strategies can be demonstrated through a variety of advanced code strategies. NBI builds market capacity for higher efficiency energy codes by encouraging the use of stretch codes (also referred to as reach codes). To support the...