New Energy Code Includes Efficiency In Existing Buildings

Hearings to finalize the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) recently wrapped up with big wins for higher efficiency requirements in existing buildings, controls for lighting and daylighting hardware, and HVAC equipment specifications. New Buildings Institute (NBI) and its partners put forward some two dozen proposals addressing a diverse set of building technologies and design specifications that would improve commercial building energy performance. The IECC is reviewed and updated every three years and serves as the model energy code for states and local jurisdictions across the country.

In the United States, buildings account for about 40% of the energy consumed and 38% of all CO₂emissions, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. Cost-effective measures that cut the energy used by buildings represent a critical strategy to help building owners save money and curb the impacts of climate change.

Read More