Oct. 28, 2013: Energy Conservation Code Will Offer Optional Compliance Pathway
2015 International Energy Conservation Code Will Provide More Flexibility
WASHINGTON — Energy efficiency advocates celebrated at the 2013 International Code Council (ICC) Annual Conference and Public Comment Hearings where building code officials approved an updated 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).
One of the most significant code updates under consideration, a proposal known as RE-188, adds a new optional compliance pathway to the 2015 IECC. It would allow builders to comply by using an energy rating index (ERI), such as the Home Energy Rating System (HERS), to meet the code’s energy-saving goals instead of having to install a number of prescriptive energy efficiency measures specified by the code. According to the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting energy efficiency, green building, and environmental protection, approximately 40 percent of new homes are already rated using the HERS system, which is utilized for compliance in other programs such as the new homes tax credit and Energy Star.