Publications

Data Collection Forms used to support the Commercial Energy Code Field Study.

This report is focused on the analysis of collected data in support of the development of an updated methodology to measure the impact of energy codes on commercial buildings and identify opportunities for savings through increased compliance. The primary goal was to analyze the data collected during the field study and determine the actual energy cost impact of each measure in a non-compliance situation. The energy impact results allowed for ranking the measures to identify which have the highest potential for lost savings.

Described separately from the U.S. DOE Multifamily Residential Energy Efficiency Field Study, this report is a simultaneous study of building air tightness occurred using several of the main study buildings and additional sites that met the building type criteria. Overall, 26 sites were evaluated this way using semi-automated testing equipment (blower doors).
 

Final report of the U.S. DOE Multifamily Residential Energy Efficiency Field Study to validate the impact of building energy codes in low-rise multifamily buildings and identify opportunities for increased energy that can be addressed through workforce education & training programs. Results include both characteristics summaries (by state) and an analysis of the opportunities associated with increased code compliance on building energy use in the different climate zones. As well, the process of collecting and processing building data so that these estimates can be prepared is described in detail, with the intent that others could employ this process in future studies. This report also includes a market research component that describes interviews with key actors in the multifamily sector (building designers, developers, and builders) that focuses on various aspects of the code, including specific code details relevant to code education and training, and overall energy performance.

Field study data supporting the U.S. DOE Multifamily Residential Energy Efficiency Field Study to validate the impact of building energy codes in low-rise multifamily buildings and identify opportunities for increased energy that can be addressed through workforce education & training programs. This zip file contains individual documents listed below)

• Data Dictionary
• Entity Relationship Diagram
• Generic Read Me
• Illinois Summary Dataset
• Minnesota Summary Dataset
• Oregon Summary Dataset
• Washington Summary Dataset

Presentation slides from the 2019 National Energy Codes Conference that provided an overview of the U.S. Department of Energy Building Energy Codes residential field study Phase III data collection and findings.

A research project in the state of Tennessee identified opportunities to reduce homeowner utility bills in residential single-family new construction by increasing compliance with the state energy code.  The study was initiated in September 2017 and continued through July 2018.  Analysis of the data has led to a better understanding of the energy features present in homes and indicates over $2.5 million in potential annual savings to Tennessee homeowners that could result from increased code compliance.

A research project in the state of Oregon identified opportunities to reduce homeowner utility bills in residential single-family new construction by increasing compliance with the state energy code. The study was initiated in November 2019; data collection began in November 2019 and continued through February 2020. Analysis of the data has led to a better understanding of the energy features present in homes and identified over $600,000 in potential annual savings to Oregon homeowners that could result from increased compliance with the 2017 Oregon Residential Specialty Code (2017 ORSC).

A research project in the Commonwealth of Virginia identified opportunities to reduce homeowner utility bills in residential single-family new construction by increasing compliance with the state energy code. The study was initiated in August 2017 and continued through May 2018. During this period, research teams visited 138 homes during various stages of construction, resulting in a substantial data set based on observations made directly in the field.

This is the data collected for states using DOE's Residential Field Study Methodology, but not part of DOE's Residential Field Study.  Data is currently available for ID, IL, MO, MT, NE, VA, and WV but additional data will be added as other states use the methodology.  

2018 IECC Residential Compliance Evaluation Forms

2015 IECC Residential Compliance Evaluation Forms

2012 IECC Residential Compliance Evaluation Forms

2009 IECC Residential Compliance Evaluation Forms

The data (in this file or on this page) represents the data collected as DOE’s Residential Field Study[1] as of June 2016.  Data is provided Microsoft Excel for 8 states – AL, KY, MD, NC, PA, TX, AR and GA.  Additional states using DOE’s field study methodology, may be added in the future as data collection and analysis is completed.  

This data file was reformatted and revised May 28, 2019, and again July 17, 2019.

Residential Energy Code Field Study Contact List; 011516.

Presentation slides prepared for Residential Field Study stakeholder participants.  

The U.S. Department of Energy has provided funding for states to conduct residential field studies, with the purpose of identifying opportunities for energy code training & education in new construction. The participation of builders and local building departments is crucial in supporting this important activity.  This Fact Sheet summarizes this field study.

Presentation slides from a 12/7/15 webinar that provided an overview of the U.S. Department of Energy Building Energy Codes residential field study, including methodology, sampling and current status. Data gathered across 10 states were reviewed, followed by a summary of initial findings that can inform future education & training activities. The potential savings associated with these activities were also be presented, which are of interest to government agencies, utilities and other entities.

A research project in the state of Texas identified opportunities to reduce homeowner utility bills in residential single-family new construction by increasing compliance with the state energy code. The study was initiated in October 2014; data collection began in March 2015, and continued through October 2015. During this period, research teams visited 133 homes in 30 counties in and around Houston during various stages of construction, resulting in a substantial data set based on observations made directly in the field.

A research project in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania identified opportunities to reduce homeowner utility bills in residential single-family new construction by increasing compliance with the state energy code. The study was initiated in October 2014 and continued through July 2015. During this period, research teams visited 171 homes during various stages of construction, resulting in a substantial data set based on observations made directly in the field.

A research project in the State of North Carolina identified opportunities to reduce homeowner utility bills in residential single-family new construction by increasing compliance with the state energy code. The study was initiated in January 2015 and continued through September 2015. During this period, research teams visited 249 homes during various stages of construction, resulting in a substantial data set based on observations made directly in the field.

In early 2017, the Nebraska Energy Office expressed interest in evaluating the construction of new single-family homes in Nebraska using the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) low-rise residential evaluation methodology.1 As part of that methodology, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) was directed by DOE to analyze the data collected in Nebraska. This memorandum provides and discusses the results of PNNL’s analysis.

A research project in the state of Montana identified opportunities to reduce homeowner utility bills in residential single-family new construction by increasing compliance with the state energy code. The study was initiated in May 2018; data collection began in June 2018 and continued through September 2018. During this period, the project team visited 125 homes at various stages of construction, resulting in a data set based on observations made directly in the field.

A research project in the state of Maryland investigated energy code-related aspects of residential single-family new construction. The study was initiated in January 2015 and continued through July 2015. During this period, research teams visited 207 homes during various stages of construction, resulting in a substantial data set based on observations made directly in the field.