Finalizing the 2021 IECC takes the next step forward

The 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) development process has officially entered an appeals phase and we wanted to share an update.

With the International Code Council’s (ICC) release of the Final Action Results in early April, six appeals were subsequently filed objecting to different aspectFs of the proposed 2021 update. Currently, the ICC is coordinating and consolidating the appeals and organizing an online hearing to address them.

The next steps in the process are to establish an Appeals Board, set the appeals hearing date, and notify all interested parties about the forthcoming specifics by July 22, 2020.

The ICC stated that the Appeals Board will be limited to addressing “process and procedure” appeals; not those that appeal the merit of technical matters on proposed changes. Some of the appeals that were filed are unlikely to result in changes because they do not address deviations from ICC established code development policies. Others–such as those that deal with voter eligibility–will be assigned to a separate Board Committee on Long-Term Code Development Process (or the “Blue Ribbon Committee”).

Ultimately, the ICC Board will hear recommendations from the Appeals Board, the Blue Ribbon Committee, and others to make a final decision on the appealed updates to the code. The ICC expects the 2021 IECC to be published in the Fall of 2020.

NBI is working closely with our partners to coordinate responses to the appeals. We will reach out with more specifics and how you can be involved after the formal notification from ICC on July 22. Stay tuned.

See past blog posts for details on the process:

By Maria Ellingson, Project Manager