Compliance

• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: NA
• Utility Involvement: Four of Arizona's utilities are actively involved in code-related efforts. Up to 1/3 credit of savings from building energy codes can be claimed by utilities to count towards annual savings goals. Utilities must demonstrate and evaluate the savings that they claim.
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: NA
• Training/Outreach: The Governor’s Office of Energy Policy (GOEP) works with utilities, specifically Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project, on education related to energy efficiency codes. The utilities are allowed, per the state’s energy efficiency standards, to count the training towards their energy efficiency requirements. The Arizona Building Officials also sponsors workshops/trainings on codes throughout the year.

Last Reviewed: November 2024

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), in collaboration with the Energy Commission, adopted the state’s Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan (“Strategic Plan”), presenting a single roadmap to achieve maximum energy savings across all major groups and sectors in California. This comprehensive Strategic Plan for 2009 to 2020 represents the state’s first integrated framework of goals and strategies for saving energy, covering government, utility, and private sector actions, and holds energy efficiency to its role as the highest priority resource in meeting California’s energy needs. The Strategic Plan established the Big Bold Energy Efficiency Strategies (BBEES), which call for all newly constructed residential buildings to be Zero Net Energy by 2020 and all newly constructed Commercial buildings by 2030. The Codes and Standards Action Plan and Zero Net Energy Action Plan add detail to the Strategic Plan.  In addition, the CPUC/IOUs on an ongoing basis conduct EM&V studies to investigate ways to improve compliance with the Standards. The IOU Compliance Enhancement Program developed a Best Practices report in 2012based on a gap analysis of seven building departments.
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: The CPUC completed evaluations of building energy code compliance for the 2006-2008 program cycle in 2010 and for the 2010-2012 cycle in 2014. Reports can be found on the CALMAC website.
  • In October 2014 the CPUC completed the “Statewide Codes and Standards Program Impact Evaluation Report For Program Years 2010-2012.” In April 2015 BayREN completed the “BayREN Codes and Standards, Permit Resource Opportunity Program - PROP Final Report and Energy Code Resource Guide.” In January 2017 the CPUC completed the “Codes and Standards Compliance Improvement Program Years 2013-14 Process Evaluation.” The CPUC completed the 2013-2015 Impact Evaluation. The “California Statewide Codes and Standards Program Impact Evaluation Report Volume Two: T-24 Building Standards,” which assessed compliance with the 2013 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, was published in June 2017.
  • In 2021, the CPUC completed the Appliance Standards Evaluation Vol. 1 for the 2016-2018 program cycle. The report can be found on the CALMAC website. Volume 2 addressing building codes will come at a later date (delay due to COVID 19).             
• Utility Involvement: California codes are supported by IOU incentive and rebate programs. Besides utility incentive programs, they develop and deliver building energy code training to a variety of stakeholders including builders, building departments, trades people, engineers, and architects in support of increase compliance. Regulatory guidelines have been established in Public Resources Code §25402.7 requiring significant utility involvement in supporting building energy code compliance. The CPUC has authorized the IOUs to support standards development since the early 2000s. Since 2008, the CPUC has authorized the IOUs to claim savings from standards development activities and to specifically develop and implement actions to support compliance improvement and standards implementation.
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: The Energy Commission works with numerous collaborative stakeholder groups and organizations, which focus on improving code compliance throughout the state. These groups meet on a monthly, quarterly, and/or annual basis and include: Regional Energy Networks (RENs), including the Bay Area REN (BayREN), Southern California REN (SoCalREN), and Tri-County REN (3C-REN); enforcement agency and Code groups, including the California Building Officials (CALBO), County Building Officials Association of California (CBOAC), International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) and International Code Council (ICC) regional chapters; and industry groups, including the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), Associated Lighting Representatives (ALR), International Brotherhood of Electrical Works (IBEW), National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), Institute of Heating and Air Conditioning Industries (IHACI), regional Construction Specifications Institutes (CSI), regional Building Owners and Managers Associations (BOMA), regional County Contractors Associations, regional Builders/Contractors Exchanges, and California Association of Building Energy Consultants (CABEC).
• Training/Outreach: The Energy Commission conducts extensive outreach and education concerning the California Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6) for enforcement agencies and the industry, to assist with compliance and enforcement. Such efforts include staffing exhibitor booths to distribute educational materials at over a dozen events, and developing and providing over 200 hundred hours of in-person training on the newly adopted 2019 CA Energy Code at: California Building Official (CALBO) education events, Redwood Empire Rebuild Green and Construction Technology Expos, Sacramento Valley Association of Building Officials (SVABO) Minstitute, Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC), National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) annual meeting, International Code Council (ICC) chapter meetings, County Building Officials Association of California (CBOAC) annual events, California Association of Building Energy Consultants (CABEC) annual events, American Institute of Architects (AIA) chapter meetings, International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI) meetings, Associated Lighting Representatives (ALR) meetings, and the Institute of Heating and Air Conditioning Industries (IHACI) annual events. 
• Also, the Energy Commission develops and publishes hundreds of resources to help facilitate compliance and enforcement with the Energy Code, including the Blueprint newsletter (published quarterly), webinars, fact sheets, quick references, guides, counter cards, and presentations. All of these resources are located on the Energy Commission's Online Resource Center (ORC) at: www.energy.ca.gov/title24/orc.
• The Energy Commission also staffs an Energy Standards Hotline, which responds to technical inquiries about the Energy Code from homeowners, consultants, architects/engineers, builders/contractors, and enforcement agencies. The Hotline responded to over 9,000 Energy Code technical inquiries last year.
• New efforts on behalf of the Energy Commission for this past year included: updating Energy Commission webpages and publications to meet accessibility requirements; updating and making all of the 2019 nonresidential certificate of compliance (NRCC) forms dynamic; updating and creating dynamic 2019 residential compliance forms for non-HERS projects; creating a hyperlinked version of the 2019 Energy Code and adding an index; updating and creating 2019 Energy Code resources and publications, including: 2019 changes summaries and infographics, 2019 cool roof brochures, and 2019 water heating efficiency guides and counter cards; and significantly expanding outreach bandwidth in response to an increased demand for 2019 Energy Code trainings for contractors/builders and colleges, including the: National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), All Weather Architectural Aluminum, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), Nevada County Contractors Association, Valley Contractors Exchange, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), OJ Insulation, newly developed 3C-REN network in the central valley, and Diablo Valley College.
• Throughout 2019, the Statewide Codes and Standards Compliance Improvement (CI) Subprogram, which is implemented by California’s investor owned utilities in collaboration with the California Energy Commission (CEC), continued to employ a systematic approach to enacting behavior change throughout the building and appliance efficiency supply chains. The three-pronged performance improvement approach addresses the essential elements of behavior change by providing 1) training to impart the
  knowledge and skills necessary to comply, 2) outreach to increase awareness and motivation, and 3) tools and resources to empower people to take the desired action. The work is delivered through the CI Subprogram’s Energy Code Ace platform and responds directly to key market actor’s unique workflow and needs.
• In 2019, the CI Subprogram delivered more than 190 classes across eight modalities and dozens of roles. The Subprogram reached more than 3,600 students and achieved a 98 percent satisfaction rate and 18 percent knowledge swing, on average. While continuing to deliver training, the Subprogram facilitated updating the Energy Code Ace curriculum, online tools and resource library in preparation for the 2019 Energy Code which became effective January 1, 2020. The CI Subprogram’s target audience now includes the healthcare industry and the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) plan reviewers and inspectors. The CEC and CI Subprogram began developing tools and training for the healthcare building practitioners who must now comply with 2019 Energy Code requirements for hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
• The CI Subprogram worked alongside the Energy Commission in developing a “TurboTax” style online interface that building industry practitioners are now using to document and verify compliance for nonresidential additions and alterations. This enhanced version of the CI Subprogram’s Forms Ace builds on the dynamic PDF compliance forms launched last year. The new interface guides permit applicants and the design community through important compliance decisions while completing the applicable forms, and enables collaboration between key decision makers in the construction process. Forms generated by the enhanced Forms Ace help expedite plan review by indicating project compliance.
• The CI subprogram continued outreach efforts including targeted email messages, ads, articles in industry publications and participation in more than 65 Title 24, Part 6 and Title 20 (Appliance Standards) industry events in 2019, often alongside CEC staff. Additionally, the CI Subprogram fielded over 1,125 emails from industry professionals, responding through e-mail conversations and/or in-depth phone calls with multiple types of code practitioners.
• The CI subprogram also continued supporting the development of Certified Energy Analysts (CEAs) through a new curriculum, mentoring program and exam proctoring while updating the CEA exam for the 2019 energy code requirements.

Last Reviewed: September 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: A proposal to conduct third party plan review and site studies has been approved by DEEP in its 2013-2015 C&LM draft decision. The Department of Construction Services and a committee that engages the Office of Construction Services, DEEP, the utility representatives, the Institute for Sustainable Energy and Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) is charged with the development and oversight of this effort. This process, once adopted, will be repeated annually through 2017 to determine additional training needs of local code officials, licensed inspectors, building designers and the trades, as well as the annual compliance rate for that year.
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: In June 2022, the NMR group completed the C1902B Energy Conscious Blueprint Baseline and Code Compliance Study.  This study includes four primary components—baseline measurement, ECB NTG analysis, code compliance research, and midstream non-lighting NTG analysis. To establish new construction baselines and code compliance, this study conducted primary data collection for new buildings permitted, completed, or under construction from January 2019 through March 2020 (Link). In 2018, NMR Group completed a code compliance study of single-family homes in Connecticut that were built at the end of the 2009 IECC cycle, including an assessment of gross potential savings available from increasing compliance with both the 2009 IECC and the 2012 IECC-CT (Link). The study also compares homes to the amended version of the 2012 IECC. The 2012 IECC-CT results represent minimum compliance rates (a floor) and maximum potential savings (a ceiling) as the homes used for this assessment were built prior to the adoption of the 2012 IECC-CT (under the 2009 IECC). In November 2015, DNV-GL submitted its C19-C&I Connecticut New Construction Baseline and Code Compliance Study to the Energy Efficiency Board. Compliance with energy efficiency code requirements for commercial and industrial new construction buildings permitted between 2010 and 2013 was estimated at 75% of the population. NMR has completed its 2016/2017 process evaluation of the Residential New Construction program.  As part of that study, NMR will conduct a baseline study. In February 2022, NMR updated its residential study design. The R1968 is  a residential study which focuses on the residential new construction and baseline study (Link). Although these findings have not been reported to date, they will be provided in a separate report. Additionally, NEEP completed a residential energy code compliance study in 2019/2020.
• Utility Involvement: Utilities are involved in strategic planning and coordination, and utility-sponsored training. Regulatory guidelines have been established requiring significant utility involvement in supporting building energy code compliance. The Connecticut General Statute (16-245m) requires the utilities to submit a three-year Conservation and Management Plan.  The plan describes the utilities efforts in building energy code compliance-which the Department approves. Once the Department approves the plan, the companies are required to abide to it.
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: A committee that includes the Office of Construction Services, DEEP, the utility representatives, the Institute for Sustainable energy and Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) meets regularly to review progress on the Gap Analysis and the Strategic Compliance Plan. The State of Connecticut is cooperating with Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) to adopt and implement the 2009 IECC. NEEP has developed a set of resources and model policy to assist with implementation. NEEP is an active member of BCAP/OCEAN.
• Training/Outreach: The Department of Construction Services’ Office of Education and Data Management consistently offers energy code trainings. Recently the utilities have assumed responsibility for DEEP’s previous role of sponsoring code compliance training and outreach activities (GPRO and BOC training).  Please see the recent activities focused on these efforts below. Certification Requirements: Connecticut also requires building code officials to be licensed, including training and exams related to the ICC building codes. The Office of Education and Data Management (OEDM) performs all credentialing responsibilities - including training, testing and records maintenance - for the Office of the State Building Inspector (OSBI) and the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM).  As such, OEDM is responsible for training and accrediting Building Code Enforcement and Fire Officials, as well as providing code-related instruction to individuals in the allied trade and design professions.
• Certification Requirements: Connecticut also requires building code officials to be licensed, including training and exams related to the ICC building codes. The Office of Education and Data Management (OEDM) performs all credentialing responsibilities - including training, testing and records maintenance - for the Office of the State Building Inspector (OSBI) and the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM).  As such, OEDM is responsible for training and accrediting Building Code Enforcement and Fire Officials, as well as providing code-related instruction to individuals in the allied trade and design professions.

Last reviewed: December 2022

• Strategic Compliance Plan: DC has completed a Comprehensive Energy Plan, called Clean Energy DC, which was published November 2, 2017. Clean Energy DC provides a detailed roadmap that outlines long-term targets and goals surrounding energy efficiency, generation, buildings, and transportation. The plan calls for all new construction to achieve net-zero energy beginning in 2026. The new Energy Code for the District has specific language on net-zero buildings and how to achieve those. This will allow for the DCSEU to work with contractors and builders to plan for future new construction development.
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: In 2014, DCRA worked with the Institute of Market Transformation to conduct an analysis of the rate energy code compliance and to make recommendations on how to increase energy code compliance. The audit relied upon the City Energy Project Assessment Methodology for medium to large cities.  This methodology helps to provide an informal energy code compliance rate, and is not intended to be statistically valid.  A detailed code compliance study was conducted in 2016--IMT and Cadmus' audit found that DCRA set a new standard for commercial energy code enforcement, with a weighted code compliance rate of 99%.
• Utility Involvement: Regulatory guidelines have been established requiring significant utility involvement in supporting building energy code compliance. DCSEU meets weekly with DCRA to discuss issues relating to the energy code, and regularly offers code compliance trainings. 
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: The Construction Codes Coordinating Board (CCCB), housed with DCRA and whose membership includes District government and private-industry experts, drafted the strategic changes. More than 100 individuals, including architects, engineers, contractors, property managers, real estate developers and government regulators, contributed their time, through Technical Advisory Group meetings, to ensure the most appropriate codes possible. Other active stakeholder groups include the Residential Code and Residential Energy Code Technical Advisory Group, the Commercial Energy and Green Code Technical Advisory Group, and the Green Building Advisory Council
• Training/Outreach: In 2006 a sweeping piece of legislation called the Green Building Act was set in place to ensure green building compliance.  The Green Building Division at the Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) is responsible for the interpretation and execution of this act.  DCRA works closely with sister agencies, such as the Department of Energy and the Environment, to make sure the Green Building act along with energy codes are updated on a regular basis.  Trainings are provided during each code cycle update to help provide guidance for project teams.  The Green Building Professional Seminar Series is an annual monthly seminar series organized by staff and presented by private side industry leaders. Several tools to help project teams identify compliance paths, organize code measures and communicate compliance are available to view on BuildGreenDC.org.
• The Urban Sustainability Administration (USA) of DOEE offers grants to fund early design assistance for building projects committed to pursuing net-zero energy. Early integrated design is essential for buildings to achieve maximum energy efficiency, but it can be difficult to fund through existing project budgets. Net-zero energy buildings are cleaner, more comfortable, and more affordable to operate than traditional buildings. The Clean Energy DC plan calls for net-zero energy building codes by 2026. Because there are few net-zero energy projects in the District, having more projects pursue net-zero energy will grow the number of available case studies and build the capacity of the developers in advance of a statutory requirement. See details here. 

Last Reviewed: June 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: No strategic compliance plan has been completed in recent years. The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) have, in partnership with the Home Builders Association of Georgia, developed a program for builders to rent duct blasters and blower doors for compliance, which was a result of a previously completed gap analysis. 
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: Georgia is one of eight states participating in the US DOE's Residential Energy Code Field Study. Through the project, DOE plans to establish a sufficient data set to represent statewide construction trends and detect significant changes in energy use from training, education and outreach activities. The first stage of the study is comprised of a baseline compliance study.
• Utility Involvement: Utilities have been involved in training for energy codes in the state. They also coordinate with the state during the update process.
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: NA
• Training/Outreach: Southface Institute, in partnership with Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) and the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), has developed comprehensive trainings and resources to help building professionals comply with the latest codes.

Last Reviewed: December 2022

• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: A residential energy code compliance study was conducted in Idaho in 2018, available here. 98% of homes observed in the study were in compliance. The study used the prescriptive method when evaluating compliance, reviewing whether each component within a house met a specific standard. The study was conducted by Idaho's Circuit Rider, who is funded through the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA).
• Utility Involvement: Idaho does not have regulatory guidelines for utility involvement in building energy code development; however, several investor-owned utilities have supported building energy code compliance through their participation with the state in Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) activities and utility-sponsored training.
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: The Idaho Energy Code Collaborative discusses code compliance, and most of the energy training provided by its members is now focused on increasing compliance throughout the state.
• Training/Outreach: The Idaho Code Collaborative provides code and compliance training through a state Energy Circuit Rider. The Idaho Code Collaborative includes the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources, the state’s electric investor-owned utilities, and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. 

Last Updated: July 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: NA
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: NA
• Utility Involvement: NA
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: NA
• Training/Outreach: The Division of Fire and Building Safety of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) has conducted several classes for state and local code enforcement officials with respect to the use of ComCheck and some basic energy conservation code information. No trainings have been held in 2015.

Last Reviewed: July 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: NA
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: The Kansas Corporation Commission’s (KCC) annual survey of local jurisdictions provides an initial baseline for assessing adoption and compliance.
• Utility Involvement: NA
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: In 2013 the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) established the Kansas Codes Collaborative, a stakeholder group involving utilities, local codes officials, and others. The new Codes Collaborative builds on the work of the previous Energy Efficiency Building Codes Working Group, with more emphasis on development and implementation of the plan to assess code compliance in local jurisdictions.
• Training/Outreach: The KCC partners with Johnson County Contractor Licensing program to offer subsidized energy codes training for local contractors and codes officials.

Last Reviewed: September 2019

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: NA
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: NA
• Utility Involvement: NA
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: NA
• Training/Outreach: Code training developed by Louisiana State University and the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance engaged home builder associations across the state in 2017 to highlight and encourage their focus on code compliance. 

Last Reviewed: September 2019

• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: Maryland, through a previous U.S. DOE award that concluded 3/31/2018, conducted a statewide effort to determine the efficacy of energy code training by measuring compliance before and after energy code training occurred.  DOE's Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL) has analyzed the data and the final report should be published soon. Compliance studies in 2013 and 2014 were completed in two of the state's largest counties - Howard and Montgomery - showing compliance rates above 90%.
• Utility Involvement: NA
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: MEA established a Codes Compliance Work Group (CCWG) in 2012. The CCWG was put together last year and met three times to give input and direction to MEA’s efforts at increasing compliance with the code. The group is composed of MEA, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), local code officials, architects, builder’s trade groups and builders. There are about 20 members.
• The Maryland Green Building Council has compliance as a subset of its agenda. The group meets about 10 or 11 times a year.
• Training/Outreach: There are no current energy code and outreach training efforts underway.  However, Maryland, through a prior U.S. DOE award that concluded 3/31/2018, conducted a three-year statewide outreach and awareness-building effort with DOE assistance  effort to determine the efficacy of energy code training on code compliance.  The report on this effort is being finalized by DOE's Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL).  

Last reviewed: July 2022

• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: A code compliance study was completed by DTE and Consumers in 2015 and 2016, following PNNL protocol.
• Utility Involvement: There are several utilities that participate in the Michigan Energy Code Compliance Collaborative described below.
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: The Michigan Energy Code Compliance Collaborative was established to identify gaps, issues and opportunities to enhance compliance.  The collaborative is comprised of builders, contractors, code officials, state agencies, energy raters, utilities, and energy advocates.  Total membership has grown to 38 individuals representing 32 organizations. The mission is to facilitate compliance with residential and commercial energy codes through a collaborative stakeholder effort.  The group identified and prioritized steps needed to improve compliance with energy codes. The collaborative members have developed several guidance documents, met with leadership of several local jurisdictions, and orgaized and held several workshops and trainings to train local code inspectors/enforcement officials on the technical aspects of the codes. In 2019 there were 5 meetings of this group (two of these meetings were split into separate residential and commercial sub-comittees). There has been 1 meeting in 2020 so far. 
• Training/Outreach: In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted planned activities for codes education. COVID-19 restrictions did not allow for in person meetings. Uncertainties in how the pandemic would affect tax revenue led to statewide budget freezes. With no funding to support trainings or resource development there was no action taken on code education in 2020.

Last Reviewed: July 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: NA
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: No formal compliance study has been done. However, in June 2011, BCAP and Southface produced an economic analysis for building energy code adoption in Mississippi. This study estimated baseline compliance based on DOE data for building energy code compliance in jurisdictions across the State. Based on recent estimates, a large percentage of the State’s population reside in jurisdictions that have adopted a residential building code. Based on the June 2011 Energy Codes Economic Analysis conducted by BCAP and Southface, as well as additional data collected by MDA, approximately 60% (1.75 million out of a total 2.9 million residents) of the state’s population reside in cities or counties with building codes equivalent to 2003 IBC or higher, and the average code standard for these local jurisdictions is 2006 ICC.
• Utility Involvement: NA
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: An advisory group, the Mississippi Building Energy Code Collaborative, has been formed to meet on a quarterly basis for the implementation of both code training and enforcement (training schedule and compliance activities). The Collaborative is comprised of local and state code enforcement officials, builders, contractors, architects, engineers, energy managers, facility managers, and State government officials.
• Training/Outreach: The MDA Energy and Natural Resources Division provides energy code training to educate codes officials, engineers, architects, and other interested parties statewide about the new ASHRAE 90.1-2010 mandatory energy building code for commercial and state-owned buildings. These codes training sessions complement the work of MDA by leveraging a network of officials to educate and implement the building energy code standard. 

Last Reviewed: September 2020

• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: The most current study was finalized in April 2019. The study used the prescriptive method when evaluating compliance and estimated a 75% compliance rate. The report is a DOE document and data was collected by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and Cadmus Group. Study to be incuded with report submittal.
• Utility Involvement: Although no utility commission guidelines have been established, utility providers in Montana support energy code compliance activities through participation in the Code Compliance Collaborative, sponsorship of training events, testifying at adoption hearings, and supporting agencies such as NEEA in their outreach efforts. 
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: The Montana Energy Code Collaborative is coordinated by Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) and National Center of Appropriate Technology (NCAT). Paricipating stakeholders include state government officials, code officials, county sustainability coordinators, university staff, and NGOs. The Collaborative meets every four months.
• Training/Outreach: MEO conducts onsite energy code meetings twice a year with most code officials. MEO provides Residential and Commercial Energy Code summary booklets to all building department offices. In conjunction with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Residential Energy Code Summary booklets and energy component labels are delivered to all new houses in Montana. MEO conducts onsite trainings with building code departments and contractors utilizing a blower door and infrared camera. MEO also provides a 2 credit-hour energy code training sessions to real estate professionals and estimates that 40% of Montana real estate sales staff has attended a training session. Montana Department of Labor and Industry provides residential and commercial energy code trainings at their  annual conference. 

Last Reviewed: July 2022

• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: A survey on energy code compliance rates was conducted in 2010 and revised. The Governor’s Office of Energy (GOE) is a supporting partner of a grant awarded by DOE to NASEO and SWEEP which establishes baseline energy code compliance rates in residential buildings. These efforts will include public education and outreach. The study follows DOEs proven methodology. The study will allow the GOE to provide specialized training for industry and building officials in partnership with NASEO and SWEEP.
• Utility Involvement: No regulatory guidelines have been established with regard to involving utilities in supporting building energy code compliance.
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: GOE partnered with BCAP to develop the Nevada Code Collaborative, which first met in April 2012, and has also named seven Code Ambassadors. GOE continues to work with non-profits, local building departments and consultants to provide training on the 2018 IECC to building code officials and the building industry. The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) continues to facilitate the collaborative.
• Training/Outreach: The GOE will provide funding for trainings on the 2021 IECC with Electric Vehicle ready appendices in both Northern Nevada and Southern Nevada. The trainings will educate contractors, vendors and building code officials. 

  GOE is also partners on the University of Illinois Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) Community College Energy Code Training program which will provide energy code curriculum to Community College Instructors.

Last Reviewed: May 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: NJ has an Evaluation Plan which was last made public in May 2017. The BPU’s Office of Clean Energy, in conjunction with the independent evaluator, Rutgers Center for Green Buildings, continually updates an Evaluation Plan in order to track previous evaluation activities, provide an indicator regarding planned, future evaluations and solicit input from stakeholders on what future evaluations are needed. In addition to highlighting current priorities, the Evaluation Plan is an important record of regular and cyclical evaluation work, such as cost-benefit analyses and baseline studies, which are used towards more effective policy making.
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: A baseline study of the multifamily sector in New Jersey was completed in April 2019, available here. A Code Compliance Study is currently underway to assess the code compliance of New Jersey's building stock across market segments. The study is being completed in collaboration with the Rutgers Center for Green Building.
• Utility Involvement: The Clean Energy Act requires the NJ Board of Public Utilities to develop “quantitative performance indicators” (QPI) via public rulemaking that establishes targets and takes into account each utility’s “support (for) the development and implementation of building code changes…”  The Board established interim QPIs in May 2019 as well as establishing an Advisory Group which will meet to help inform future QPIs. Additionally, utilities may participate on the NJDCA mechanical/energy subcode committee and support the enactment of energy codes as a cost-effective means to reduce energy usage.  They can participate on the advisory board but participation is not mandated.    
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: The Uniform Construction Code Act establishes a Uniform Construction Code Advisory Board. And under the Uniform Construction Code Advisory Board, there is a mechanical/energy subcode committee which includes code officials, engineers and other stakeholders. This board meets three to four times per year.  
• Training/Outreach: The Department of Community Affairs offers spring and fall semesters of training each year.  Licensed code officials are required to complete continuing education to maintain their licensed. Visit the NJ Department of Community Affairs for more info regarding NJDCA Continuing Education Seminars.  There are 50+ different Code Official training courses offered, some of which are energy subcode specific.

Last reviewed: May 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: NYS performed a Gap Analysis and strategic compliance plan, or Action Plan.  The draft report was prepared April 2016, describing both Gap Analysis findings as well as an Action Plan for proposed measures to improve Energy Code compliance and enforcement. Gap Analysis findings included in-depth interviews with approximately 150 design, construction and enforcement professionals, as well as building owners and representatives from state and local government.  Gap Analysis also include a survey of approximately 450 NYS code enforcement officials and review of statewide compliance assessments and market intervention strategies designed to improve compliance and enforcement performed to date.
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: New York State’s most recent statewide energy code compliance studies took place in 2015/2016 and 2019/2020. New York State conducted its first Delphi Panel in 2015 (report published February 2016) with a group of experts in new and existing residential and commercial sector design, construction and enforcement, to gather information on the frequency and quality of specific building practices employed in the State. Through the iterative process of collecting opinions and building consensus between experts, NYSERDA analyzed building practices and code compliance to estimate a baseline energy code compliance level for the State. A second Delphi Panel was conducted in 3 phases between October 2019 and January 2020, to measure compliance with the 2016 New York State Energy Conservation Construction Code. During that time, a longitudinal study of in-depth interviews with three municipalities (urban, suburban and rural) was also conducted to supplement Delphi Panel findings. Reports for these studies will be published in 2020.  An additional Delphi Panel was conducted in 2022, with reported results expected Q3, and another is planned for 2023. Additional longitudinal studies are planned through 2023, to measure progress.
• Utility Involvement: NYSERDA administers utility rate payer dollars to support building energy code compliance and enforcement. On January 21, 2016, the New York State Public Service Commission issued an order authorizing the Clean Energy Fund Framework. NYSERDA will administer a multi-million dollar investment in supporting building energy code compliance and enforcement through 2025. In 2019, NYSERDA supported and trained over 3,300 professionals at 119 events throughout the state. NYSERDA also published the Performance Path Enforcement Manual for enforcement professionals in October 2018, the New York State Energy Code Manual for Design Professionals in June 2019, and the Energy Code Enforcement Manual for Code Enforcement Officials in June 2019. Resources available here.
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: NYSERDA staff, DOS, and contractors conduct regular meetings with the code enforcement, design and construction communities to inform policy and program decisions, including training themes and approaches. In 2019, New York State performed a 90-day public comment period as part of the 2020 Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State rulemaking proceedings, giving New Yorkers an opportunity to contribute to the state’s code adoption process.  Stakeholder working group meetings were performed in 2018 to inform NYStretch Energy Code-2020. Market research was conducted in 2019, into 2020 to inform how the state can better support compliance, including through adoption of supplemental methods of energy code enforcement.  
• Training/Outreach: NYSERDA supports ongoing classroom and web-based training and resources to support better compliance with and enforcement of the Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State and NYStretch Energy Code. Free and low-cost energy code training is designed for code enforcement officials, design professionals, building trade professionals and others involved in building design, construction and enforcement.

Last Reviewed: July 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: NA
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: NA
• Utility Involvement: NA
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: NA
• Training/Outreach: A series of seven trainings on the 2009 IECC were held across the state in January of 2015 for contractors, code officials, and aspiring code officials.

Last Reviewed: June 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: BCAP worked with Oklahoma stakeholders in 2012 to develop its Gap Analysis and Strategic Compliance Plan.
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: There have been no studies or evaluations of energy code compliance in Oklahoma. 
• Utility Involvement: NA
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: NA
• Training/Outreach: Beginning in 2015, OUBCC provides free training to licensed building inspectors. These are one- or two-day training classes that utilize nationally recognized code certified trainers to teach the classes.

Last Reviewed: May 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: The Building Codes Assistance Project completed a gap analysis in 2012. The Pennsylvania Energy Code Collaborative (PECC) met to further define best practices and recommendations and produced a compliance plan. In 2015, the Northeastern Energy Efficiency Partnership started facilitating the PECC and came up with a vision and goals for 2015 - 2020. The PECC group is currently working on tasks that support the vision and goals that include a state-specific plan with practical near- and long-term actions.
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: Performance Systems Development (PSD) was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to implement a residential energy code compliance study in Pennsylvania as a part of the eight-state Residential Energy Code Field Study. This study was performed in 2014-2015 with a follow-up evaluation in 2017. The report on this study is available here. This project received financial and in-kind support from PECO and PPL electric utilities.
• Utility Involvement: The electric distribution companies require code compliance for any of their Act 129 (financial incentive) programs. Additionally, under Act 129, EDCs will only get credit for codes initiatives if they are supporting projects that go above and beyond code standards because the standards are viewed as the baseline, regardless if they are currently being met.
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: The Pennsylvania Energy Code Collaborative meets four times per year. The Pennsylvania Climate Change Advisory Committee meets at least six times per year.
• Training/Outreach: The Pennsylvania Code Construction Academy provided trainings on residential and commercial 2015 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 - 2010. Additionally, they provided webinars and circuit rider trainings. These trainings are new, since PA adopted the 2019 I-Code in October 2018.  The intended audience is residential energy plan reviewers and inspectors, but is appropriate for builders, design professionals, and other industry professionals. Additionally, duct and envelope testing training is made available as well as specialized circuit rider trainings.

Last reviewed: June 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: South Carolina has completed a gap analysis, analyzing the current code implementation efforts in the state and making recommendations for achieving 90% compliance with the model energy code. The state also participates in BCAP’s Compliance Planning Assistance Program and completed a compliance plan in November 2011, providing a five-year roadmap for energy code implementation in the state.
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: NA
• Utility Involvement: NA
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: NA
• Training/Outreach: The South Carolina Energy Office (SCEO) sponsors training for code compliance. During the past year SCEO supported training on proper duct installation and repair through the South Carolina Association of Heating and Air Conditioning Contractors (SCAHACC), as well as training in code compliance at the SC Homebuilders Association annual meeting. In addition, the office collaborated with SCAHACC, the SC Homebuilders Association and the SC Sustainability Institute to develop and offer Duct and Envelope Tightness verifier training. Based on materials developed by SouthFace, the South Carolina program includes the option of in-person or online training, followed by mandatory field practice and testing for successful certification.

Last Reviewed: September 2019

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan:  The Tennessee (TDEC) Office of Energy Programs, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, and the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy) are currently engaged in a residential energy code compliance baseline field study. The Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) and its partner, Southface, are leading the initiative, which is funded by a U.S. Department of Energy award to SEEA.  This study will focus on a sample of single-family homes in the two climate zones in Tennessee and will identify the residential building energy code sections for which the State may wish to consider conducting additional education, outreach, and/or training.  The kickoff meeting was held in March 2017, and the study is expected to be completed in FY2018.
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: Under state regulations, the State Fire Marshal’s Office is granted authority to audit local exempt jurisdictions every three years, in order to check that they are enforcing codes correctly. The State Fire Marshal’s Office audits exempt jurisdictions to verify code compliance and inspector certifications. This is an ongoing task and not a comprehensive audit of all jurisdictions at the same time. Approximately 90 jurisdictions are audited each year.

  Additionally, the State of Tennessee — through OEP, C&I, and the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy — participated in a residential energy code compliance baseline field study funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and conducted by the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) and Southface. This study focused on a sample of single-family homes in Tennessee’s two climate zones and will identify the residential building energy code sections for which the State may wish to consider conducting additional education, outreach, and/or training. Data was collected from 15 counties spread out across Tennessee, with Davidson County having the highest number of homes tested (27 homes) and Sevier County having the fewest number of homes tested (2 homes). More than 2,300 different data points were collected across the 138 different homes used in the study. The study was conducted in 2018 and a preliminary draft report was issued in February 2019. The final project report was published in April 2021. The report and its findings can be found at this link: https://www.energycodes.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Tennessee_Residential_Field_Study.pdf. 

• Utility Involvement: The State Fire Marshal’s Office has not established utility commission regulatory guidelines. The Tennessee Public Utility Commissioner (formerly Tennessee Regulatory Authority) does not regulate the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the federally-owned corporation that provides electricity to approximately 99.7% of the electricity service territory in Tennessee.)

• Stakeholder Advisory Group: Over the course of 2019, the State Fire Marshal’s Office held several stakeholder meetings to seek input on the proposed adoption of the 2018 IRC. Additionally, the State Fire Marshal’s Office has met with the Southeastern Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) several times over the past several years to discuss building energy codes and enforcement. SEEA has offered to provide assistance and advice for adopting new codes and to influence energy code stakeholders. There is no established timetable for meetings. They are convened on an as-needed basis.
• Training/Outreach: 

  • In addition to adoption and enforcement of building energy codes, C&I provides training and continuing professional education courses to codes inspectors across the state through the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy (TFSCEA). In 2013, TDEC OEP provided $195,000 in grant funding to C&I to develop a 2012 IECC training program for inspectors. OEP also provided C&I the opportunity to participate in 2012 IECC “train-the-trainer” courses administered by Southface Energy Institute. The grant funding allowed C&I to purchase equipment and gain the knowledge necessary to provide training to codes inspectors across the state.

    Following the grant period in 2013, C&I offered several free training opportunities to codes inspectors in all regions of the state. Classes were hosted at the TFSCEA campus in Bell Buckle as well as offered in jurisdictions throughout Tennessee. Stephen Snow, TFSCEA Codes Enforcement Program Director, noted that the training program was extremely successful in its initial outreach. He indicated that requests for the training slowed for some years once jurisdictions decided to adopt or not adopt the 2012 codes. However, he also stated that the State requirement for jurisdictions to adopt an edition of the IECC that is always within seven years of the latest printed edition has spurred jurisdictions to once again explore which viable edition they will adopt. 

    For example, the town of Cookeville requested in early 2016 that TFSCEA come and provide training to approximately 40 of its local contractors for the sole purpose of learning IECC requirements. In February 2016, the East TN Building Officials Association asked TFSCEA to hold IECC training for approximately 130 inspectors and building officials in their region to help their inspectors understand and implement IECC testing requirements. As interest in IECC adoption and enforcement increases, TFSCEA will create more IECC courses throughout the state to move out of “introductory” training and into more “topic-specific” training.

    TFSCEA and the State Fire Marshal’s Office have also been exploring implementation of a comprehensive program to incorporate “distance learning,” which will change the way all Academy training, including IECC courses, will be offered. This online training will reach more individuals and small groups of officials within jurisdictions whose strict budgets have traditionally precluded travel to the TFSCEA campus. While more jurisdictions have adopted the 2012 IECC through the support of Academy IECC training, new inspectors joining these departments will be more easily trained in the use of the code through online course delivery. All students will still have access to the resources the Academy can provide to support their training. TFSCEA and the State Fire Marshal’s Office are optimistic about the benefit this new medium will bring to inspectors and will have a variety of online presentation methods and testing options to ensure that students of TFSCEA distance learning are properly equipped to enforce the most current and viable editions of the IECC. Although TFSCEA has begun to offer several of its courses through this “distance learning” medium, the Academy does not currently offer IECC training through an online portal.

Last Reviewed: May 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: Between 2010 and 2011, Utah was chosen to evaluate residential buildings against the 2006 IECC and commercial buildings against the 2009 IECC (https://www.energycodes.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Compliance%20Pilot%20Studies%20Final%20Report.pdf). Utah's pilot study was performed in two phases. The focus of Phase 1 was for the state and 10 local jurisdictions to gain experience conducting an evaluation of this type, and derive an initial assessment of energy code compliance. Concurrently with Phase 1 of their study, Utah developed a Utah Energy Code Compliance Roadmap to illustrate the best path forward for increasing energy code compliance in the state. For the Phase 2 study, 42 new residential buildings were evaluated across 22 jurisdictions, based on a random sample of homes generated by the State Sample Generator. To save time, each code inspector attempted to complete a 4-way inspection ,which looks at rough framing, rough plumbing, rough heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC), and rough electrical.
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: In June of 2019, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a grant to launch a study designed to do three things: first, assess to what degree new residential construction in Utah meets the current energy code; second, develop energy code training to address any compliance gaps identified in the study. Third, based on the data gathered in the field, the study estimated the energy, cost, and emissions savings potential if new homes in Utah achieve 100-percent compliance with Utah’s current residential energy code. The study involves numerous partners including the Institute for Market Transformation, Resource Innovations, WC-3, Utah Office of Energy Development, Utah Clean Energy, Rocky Mountain Power, Dominion Energy, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). A link to the study can be found here: https://www.iccsafe.org/building-safety-journal/bsj-technical/results-are-in-on-utah-energy-code-study/

  https://utahenergycode.com/utahs-residential-energy-code-field-study-shows-a-big-opportunity-for-cost-savings-and-emissions-reductions/

• Utility Involvement: The utility demand-side management programs support building energy code compliance by offering incentives on energy code compliant equipment (where code applies). Since the Public Service Commission has approved those offerings there are indirect regulatory guidelines that enable the utilities to support energy code compliance. The utilities both provide cost-match funds for energy code training.
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: Utah established the Uniform Building Code Commission to review and provide recommendations to the state legislature in the adoption of building codes. As part of its process, the Uniform Building Code Commission holds public hearings to gather public input on energy code adoption decisions. The UBCC meets on a monthly basis and through its Education Committee, supports a variety of associations throughout the state focused on training and improving compliance.
• Training/Outreach: The Governor's Office of Energy Development has partnered with Rocky Mountain Power and Dominion Energy to establish a three-year contract to provide energy code compliance training (the Building Talks program). The annual budget for the program has been increased to roughly $160,000 annually. Building Talks now includes dedicated training for code officials to improve enforcement and field training for builders to improve installation. Training materials are provided to builders, code officials, and trades in the form of compliance pathways, short guides to the residential and commercial energy codes, and a dedicated website (in process).

Last Reviewed: June 2022 

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: NA
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies:  A field study for code compliance for detached single-family homes was conducted and concluded in 2018. Results are still considered preliminary as of June 2019 while PNNL works to complete the final statewide report. Compliance rates varied depending on the measure.  Compliance with requirements for fenestration (98.6% compliance) and crawl wall R-values (100%) were high; a majority of homes (78%) tested below 5 air-changes per hour (ACH50) for envelope leakage and a majority met the high efficacy lighting requirements (80.9%), while compliance with duct leakage requirements were relatively low (over 63% of duct systems tested did not meet the code requirement of 6 CFM per 100 square feet of conditioned floor area for systems not 100% in conditioned space). Compliance was determined through both prescriptive (e.g. observation of U-factors and SHGC for fenestration and R-values insulation) as well as performance testing (duct and envelope leakage testing).
• Utility Involvement: NA
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: Virginia does not have a formal stakeholder group on code compliance. However, the state does regularly convene stakeholders including the Virginia Building Code Officials Association Energy Committee, Viridiant (formerly EarthCraft Virginia), Virginia Energy Efficiency Council, Sierra Club, Home Builders Association of Virginia, Apartment Owners and Builders Association and others.
• Training/Outreach: The existing state certification is required for all local governmental code enforcement personnel and independent third-party inspection agents, who must obtain certification to ensure consistent and technically accurate code interpretation and application. The program consists of two separate components, training and examination, with training delivered by the Jack A. Proctor Virginia Building Code Academy (JPVBA) and examinations administered by various nationally-recognized code testing organizations (ICC, NCPCCI).
• Ongoing education and training efforts include coordination between DHCD, Viridiant, and Virginia Building and Code Officials Association (VBCOA) for code officials and design professionals on how to meet the new residential energy codes, and code officials and HVAC trade professionals on duct leakage testing requirements and protocols.

Last reviewed: June 2022

• Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: West Virginia's compliance plan was published in 2011 and is available on BCAP's website. 
• Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: The Appalachian Residential Consortium for Energy Efficiency (ARCEE) is currently conducting a field study measuring residential energy code compliance rates in the state. More information is available here.
• Utility Involvement: NA
• Stakeholder Advisory Group: The W.Va. Fire Commission Legislative, Code and Regulatory Committee includes representatives from the state’s residential construction industry, code officials, home inspectors and the state energy office. Legislative changes during the 2020 session will more formally establish stakeholder groups and three-member independent dispute resolution panels with certified subject matter experts who will in essence offer a mediator role as a voluntary step before moving complaints in the trades to the W.Va. Fire Commission.
• Training/Outreach: Using State Energy Program funds, the WV Office of Energy is working with the Homebuilders Association of West Virginia Foundation and Energy Efficient West Virginia to provide training on the 2009 IECC and beyond. 

Last Reviewed: September 2020