Publications

Presentation slides from the 10/21/21 Zoning and Land-Use Regulation: Emerging Tools for Advancing Climate-Friendly Development 2021 Summer Seminar Series webinar.

Presentation slides from the 10/6/22 Less is More: Building to Zero Energy, Water, and Carbon 2022 Summer Seminar Series webinar.

Session subtopic presentation slides from the DOE BECP Future of Codes stakeholder workshop, June 22 & June 24, 2021.

Residential and commercial buildings are the single-largest energy-consuming sector of the U.S. economy, representing approximately 39% of U.S. total energy consumption and 74% of its electricity use, which makes buildings responsible for 35% of energy-related emissions. DOE provides technical assistance supporting cost-effective increases in energy efficiency and performance of homes and commercial buildings through building energy codes.

November 16, 2023 - Building Energy Codes Webinar Series: What You Need to Know About the New Energy Standard for Commercial Buildings: ASHRAE 90.1-2022 presentation.

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 document provides recommendations for organizing effective and efficient submittal reviews of projects that follow ASHRAE 90.1 Section 11 and Appendix G.

This document outlines resources to help facilitate compliance documentation and submittal reviews.

As the U.S. building stock electrifies and decarbonizes in the coming decades, an unprecedented amount of new electrical load will be added to the grid. How easy or difficult this transition will be depends, in part, on both building energy codes like the IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 and the electrical codes like the National Electric Code (NEC).  This session will address NEC requirements around solar PV, home batteries, Energy Management systems, as well as exploring implications for electric panel sizing. Speakers from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) and New Buildings Institute (NBI) will summarize the barriers identified in the electrical code and proposed changes, present on guidelines for complying with the NEC, and discuss various ways that the electrical and energy code intersect.

The purpose of this report is to document findings and final results from the Texas field study, including a summary of key trends observed in the field, their impact on energy efficiency, and whether the selected education and training activities resulted in a measurable change in statewide energy use.

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 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.

The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office will implement enforcement of adopted energy codes for new building project submissions as of Friday, July 1, 2011. The energy codes adopted are:

• All buildings other than state buildings: The 2006 International Energy Conservation Code
• State buildings: ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007.