Public Acts 06-187 Section 70, 07-213 Section 5, 07-242 Section 10, and 07-249 Section 15 require that the Office of Policy and Management develop high performance building regulations for state agency buildings and school buildings.
The regulations address the construction of 1) a State agency facility projected to cost five million dollars or more and for which all budgeted bond funds are allocated by the State Bond Commission on or after January 1, 2009; 2) renovation of a State agency facility projected to cost two million dollars or more and utilizing two million dollars of state funds approved and funded after January 1,2008; 3) new construction of a facility projected to cost greater than five million dollars of which a least two million dollars is state funds and is authorized by the General Assembly pursuant to Chapter 173 on or after January 1, 2009; and 4) renovation of a public school facility as defined in subdivision 18 of section 10-282 that is projected to cost two million dollars or more, all of which is state funding, and is authorized by the General Assembly pursuant to chapter 173 on or after January 1, 2009 must comply with state regulations.
These regulations were approved with technical corrections by the Regulation Review Committee on August 25, 2009 and submitted to the Secretary of State as required under the Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 4-172 on September 2, 2009.
The state building code, including any amendments to the code adopted by the state building inspector and Codes and Standards Committee, is the building code for all towns, cities, and boroughs in the state. Any town, city, borough, or interested person may propose amendments to the state building code. Once approved, the amendments become part of the state building code and are applied statewide.
The state building inspector enforces compliance for state-owned buildings and local code officials enforce compliance for all other buildings.
Compliance is determined through construction documents submitted to the local building official showing detailed building data, features, and equipment systems governed under the code. Variances and interpretations of the code are granted through the Department of Public Safety. State statutes require the signature and seal of a licensed registered professional for all buildings of any use group (other than single-family residential [R-3] or agricultural) greater than 5,000 sq. ft. in floor area or of any use group A, E, or I of any size.
In 1979, legislation was passed requiring that the State Building and Fire Safety Codes promote and ensure the design and construction of energy-conserving buildings and the use of renewable resources.
In 1988, provisions were included in the enabling legislation requiring revision of the state building code no later than July, 1989 in order to incorporate necessary 1988 BOCA International revisions into the state building code. Future revisions were limited to occur not more than every four years thereafter.
The officially adopted 2005 State Building Code, known as the 2003 International Building Code Portion of the 2005 State Building Code: State Of Connecticut, became effective December 31, 2005 and applied to all building permits applied for on or after that date.
On June 4, 2007, the governor signed Public Act 07-242 into law that required all buildings except residential buildings with less than five units that are projected to cost five million or more to qualify for a LEED-Silver rating or an equivalent standard, such as a two-globe rating under the Green Globes USA design program.
On July 8, 2009, a state bill (HB 6284) to update the state energy code and to create green building standards was passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell. The bill required the state building inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee to revise the State Building Code.
The first 2009 Amendment to the 2005 State Building Code updated the energy code for residential and commercial buildings to the 2006 IECC.
A second 2009 Amendment to the 2005 State Building Code revised Chapter 541, Sec. 29-256a of the General Statutes of Connecticut to comply with Public Act 07-242 and required all buildings except residential buildings with less than five units that are projected to cost five million or more to qualify for a LEED-Silver rating or an equivalent standard, such as a two-globe rating under the Green Globes USA design program. The same is required of renovation projects that are expected to cost two million or more.
The 2009 IECC was adopted in September 2011 and became effective October 6, 2011. Connecticut will automatically go to the 2012 IECC within 18 months of its printing.