Building Energy Codes
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BULLETIN BOARD
NEWS FLASH!
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(Updated 2/7/12) Get the latest in building energy code news and events happening throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic: District of Columbia - DC will leapfrog over the 2009 IECC and adopt the 2012 IECC, effective by March 2013! Read NEEP's letter (18 co-signers) in support of DC's 2012 IECC adoption.
Maine - NEEP partnered with Consumers Union and local stakeholders to promote local adoption of the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC). Check out the resources developed in the MUBEC Community Action Toolkit.
Maryland - First state in the nation to adopt the 2012 IECC, effective Jan 1, 2012! Read NEEP's written comments in support of this adoption.
New Hampshire - Durham, NH leads the nation as one of the first local governments to adopt the 2012 IECC.
Pennsylvania - Read NEEP's Talking Points and submitted comments in support of the unamended adoption of the 2012 IECC in Pennsylvania.
Vermont — Read the Building Energy Disclosure Working Group report, heard by the VT House Natural Resources and Energy Committee on Jan 27 and see the bill (HB 497) in support of building energy disclosure in VT.
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NEEP's Northeast Building Energy Codes Project
The Northeast Building Energy Codes Project is helping the region reduce its carbon emissions by providing states with resources to develop, implement and comply with building energy codes. NEEP has developed a Model Policy that provides Northeast states with guidelines for making sure their energy codes are up to date and implemented effectively
The Model Policy also includes cutting edge strategies for adopting a "stretch" or "reach" code and establishing a policy to rate building according to their energy use and disclose this information to the public. [More]
More energy efficient building energy codes provide an opportunity to dramatically improve the energy performance of new buildings. In the Northeast, energy consumption can be reduced by 7 percent and carbon emissions by 12 percent by implementing a model building energy code policy to govern new building construction and major renovations.
Building Energy Rating
In addition to advanced energy codes, Northeast states could increase the energy efficiency of homes and buildings even more through a public policy requiring the rating and disclosure of a building's energy performance, according to a report commissioned by NEEP.
Much like an appliance energy rating label, building energy rating systems gives consumers the tools to make informed choices and protect themselves against poor buildings and building components, higher-than-anticipated energy bills, discomfort, or unplanned renovation needs. Building energy rating also provides a market-based mechanism for creating a common currency regarding home or building energy use. [More]
Request for Proposals - Massachusetts Commercial Building Benchmarking Pilot Program
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP), in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), has released the following Request for Proposals (RFP) for prospective bidders interested in the Massachusetts Commercial Building Benchmarking Pilot.
NEEP and DOER are currently reviewing the proposals and will be awarding the final contracts next week (Feb 13).
Click here to download the RFP
Valuing Energy Efficiency in the Real Estate Market - New Resources Available!
In an effort to raise awareness about the value of energy efficient homes and building energy codes, NEEP is proud to release new resources geared towards the real estate community. These resources provide guidance on understanding and marketing the value of energy efficient homes and include a checklist to help real estate professionals identify home energy efficiency attributes and the expected savings/benefits worth calling out to prospective home buyers and sellers.
Download these new resources:
- Printable Checklist for Real Estate Professionals - Convenient for bringing to a showing, the checklist can be printed double-sided on 2 pages of legal-sized paper.
More Information
For more information on training and technical assistance opportunities, please contact NEEP's Building Energy Codes Project Manager, Don Vigneau at 781-860-9177 ext. 136 or email at dvigneau@neep.org. For information on advocacy and code adoption, please contact Allison Webster, Building Energy Policy Associate at 781-860-9177 ext. 126 or email at awebster@neep.org.