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Improving State and Local Building Energy Codes

MCLI Recommendation: “State legislatures should follow the lead of states like California, Hawaii, and Washington in developing advanced building and energy codes that significantly reduce the energy used by new buildings”

LPDD Recommendation: “Within the authority granted to them under state law and state building code requirements, local legislative bodies should adopt advanced building and energy codes that drive down carbon use in buildings.”

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53 resources

Example Local Governments

Sarasota County FL’s Energy Economic Zone Program

Sarasota County has established an Energy Economic Zone Program that allows developers of commercial property to receive different tax rebates and other financial incentives when they comply with ener...
Example States and State Governments

Rhode Island’s IECC 2024 Adoption

In August 2023, Rhode Island enacted legislation requiring the adoption of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for new residential and commercial buildings once the codes are finali...
Example Local Governments

Boulder’s Energy Conservation Code

Under Boulder’s Energy Conservation Code, commercial buildings must achieve energy performance significantly exceeding national code baselines, using predictive computer modeling to demonstrate energy...
Resource States and State Governments

2018 International Energy Efficiency Code

The 2018 International Energy Efficiency Code from the International Code Council is a comprehensive energy conservation code that establishes minimum regulations for energy-efficient buildings using ...
Example Local Governments

Boston’s LEED Requirements

Boston’s Zoning Code Article 37 (2007) requires that any project that is subject to Large Project Review (generally 50,000 sf+, or smaller projects located near Boston Harbor) must be LEED certifiable...
Example States and State Governments

Virginia EV-Ready Public Building Code

Virginia adopted EV-Ready building standards for new county, city, town, or school buildings larger than 5,000 square feet.
Resource States and State Governments

Sustainable Development Code

The Sustainable Development Code project is the work of interdisciplinary research team including law schools and practitioners from across the country. The SDC provides concrete ways for local govern...
Resource States and State Governments

California Building Electrification and Gas Market Reports

E3’s 2019 study, Residential Building Electrification in California, evaluates the consumer economics, greenhouse gas savings and grid impacts of electrification in residential low-rise buildings acro...
Example Local Governments

Bonita Springs’ Green Building Program

Bonita Springs’ Green Building Program (2012) incorporates the LEED Program for Homes standards, the current Green Home Designation, and the current Energy Start Certified New Home requirements, as we...
Resource States and State Governments

Model Language for Outcome-Based Energy Codes

New Building Institute provides draft regulatory language for jurisdictions to incorporate outcome-based compliance metrics into current energy codes.
Example Local Governments

Santa Monica’s 2020 Energy Reach Code

On September 10, 2019, Santa Monica City Council adopted the newly proposed Santa Monica Reach Code. The amendments or “Reach Codes” are designed to encourage low-cost all-electric new construction of...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE Report, Analyzing State Energy Code Update Benefits

As a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Department of Energy is has announced or should soon announce substantial funding opportunities for st...
Example Local Governments

2022 Chicago Energy Transformation Code

In September 2022, the Chicago City Councilpassed the 2022 Chicago Energy Transformation Code, which requires that new buildings are constructed in alignment with stronger energy efficiency and electr...
Example Local Governments

DC’s Green Building Act and Construction Codes

The District of Columbia’s Green Building Act (2006) required green building certification in both the public and private sector. The District’s Construction Codes (2013) expanded to cover projects be...
Resource States and State Governments

Regional Energy Efficiency Organizations

The US DOE supports Regional Energy Efficiency Organizations to operate in six regional chapters to promote energy code adoption, implementation and evaluation.
Resource States and State Governments

US Green Building Council Standards

The US Green Building Council oversees the promulgation of LEED standards and credentialing. They have prepared a guide for advancing local green building policies that addresses how LEED standards fu...
Example Local Governments

San Jose’s building electrification reach code

San Jose’s building electrification reach code encourages all-electric construction by requiring any new building with gas to achieve higher energy-efficiency savings (Cal Green Tier 1 compliance) and...
Example States and State Governments

Hawaii’s SB 644

Hawaii’s SB 644 (2009) requires solar water-heating (SWH) systems to be installed on all single-family new home construction, with a few exceptions. The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission was asked to...
Resource Local Governments

Report, City Policy Framework for Dramatically Reducing Embodied Carbon

This 2020 policy framework from the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance is intended for cities and other government bodies to develop a strategy, action plan and policies they can adopt to dramatically red...
Resource States and State Governments

Institute for Market Transformation

The Institute for Market Transformation is a Washington, DC think tank that works to catalyze widespread and sustained demand for high-performing buildings. They work in partnership with businesses, p...
Resource Local Governments

Minneapolis Floor Area Ratio Premiums for Efficiency

Minneapolis provides floor area ratio premiums in the downtown district for buildings that increase their energy efficiency by a minimum of 35% compared to the Minnesota energy code. Different levels ...
Example States and State Governments

Minnesota SB 2030 Energy Standard

For all new construction and renovation projects that receive general obligation bond funding from the state of Minnesota, the SB 2030 Energy Standard ratchets down the permissible energy use over tim...
Example States and State Governments

New York’s Appliance and Building Efficiency Standards

In May 2022, New York passed S9405, creating new appliance efficiency standards for products that are not federally regulated. It calls for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority...
Example Local Governments

Nashville Retrofit Requirements for Government Buildings

Nashville’s Ordinance BL2019-1599 establishes: An energy retrofit program across at least 9% of metro government-owned buildings by square footage between 2021 and 2024, with a goal of achieving at le...
Resource States and State Governments

Architecture 2030

Architecture 2030 coordinates architects, engineers, and planners working to advance model codes and partner with city planners to achieve zero net carbon cities by 2030.
Example States and State Governments

NY Stretch Code and Energy Conservation Construction Code

The New York Stretch Code (2020) is a statewide model code for New York jurisdictions to use to meet their energy and climate goals by accelerating the savings obtained through their local building en...
Resource Local Governments

Davis CA Reach Code

Davis passed its reach code in September of 2019, which requires higher energy efficiency standards and electrification readiness in mixed fuel buildings.
Resource States and State Governments

ASHRAE 90.1-2019

ASHRAE 90.1-2019 for Commercial Buildings provides the minimum requirements for energy-efficient design of most buildings, except low-rise residential buildings. It offers, in detail, the minimum ener...
Example Local Governments

Los Angeles’ zoning ordinances

Los Angeles’ zoning ordinances (2017) recently changed to disincentivize the spread of large single residences, or “McMansions.” The 2017 revisions gave a floor area ratio disincentive for ceilings hi...
Example States and State Governments

Massachusetts Specialized Stretch Energy Code

In 2022, Massachusetts DOER approved a statewide Specialized Stretch Energy Code that cities and towns could adopt to boost the energy efficiency of new buildings and help lay the groundwork for elect...
Example Local Governments

Charleston’s Zoning Ordinance

Charleston’s Zoning Ordinance (2015) grants developers height and density bonuses for achieving a certain number of incentive points for efficiency measures, including green roofs and achieving LEED c...
Resource Local Governments

RAP Report, Principle of Smart Heat Electrification

RAP’s 2020 report surveys policies that impact smart heat electrification, including electricity pricing, energy efficiency obligations, carbon intensity standards, financial support schemes, building...
Example Local Governments

San Mateo’s electric reach code

San Mateo’s electric reach code does not require all-electric new construction, but incentivizes it through increased energy efficiency requirements for new buildings that use gas. Office buildings wi...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE State Energy Efficiency Scorecard

ACEEE publishes an annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard that ranks states on their policy and program efforts, not only assessing performance but also documenting best practices and recognizing le...
Example Local Governments

Minneapolis floor area ratio bonuses for efficiency

The Minneapolis Code of Ordinances (2016) provides floor area ratio premiums in the downtown district for buildings that increase their energy efficiency by a minimum of 35% compared to the Minnesota ...
Example States and State Governments

Honolulu’s Bill 25

In 2020, Honolulu City Council passed Bill 25, which includes building code amendments requiring new buildings to be solar ready and that a portion of parking be EV-ready.
Model Law Local Governments

LPDD Model Law: EV-Ready Commercial Building Code

This model law would require new or significantly altered commercial, industrial, or multi-family residential buildings to be equipped with the installation of Level 2 electric vehicle supply equipmen...
Example Local Governments

Santa Monica electrification reach code

Santa Monica’s electrification reach code applies to all new construction (residential and commercial). The ordinance does not require all-electric new construction, but encourages it by requiring add...
Resource Local Governments

Marin County Green Building ordinance

Marin’s updated county code was voted on in September, 2019. It offers 3 updated compliance pathways: one for all electric construction, one for limited mixed fuel (gas stoves) construction, and mixed...
Example Local Governments

Carlsbad CA’s electrification reach code

Carlsbad’s electrification reach code requires heat pump water heaters or solar thermal water heating in new low-rise (below four stories) residential construction.
Example States and State Governments

CALGreen and Building Energy Efficiency Standards

California’s CALGreen and Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24) function harmoniously. CALGreen includes provisions to ensure the reduction of water use by 20%, improve indoor air quality, d...
Example States and State Governments

Hawaii Law Maximizing Energy Efficiency of Public Buildings

In July 2022, Hawaii adopted HB 1801, which requires and establishes deadlines for state facilities to implement cost-effective energy efficiency measures. The Hawaii State Energy Office must collect ...
Example Local Governments

San Anselmo LEED Requirements

The San Anselmo Code of Ordinances (2010) requires LEED certification for certain new construction and renovations. New construction between 2,000 and 4,999 square feet must meet any LEED standard, pr...
Resource States and State Governments

New Buildings Institute Model Stretch codes

The New Buildings Institute Model Stretch codes present jurisdictions with a set of energy-saving building strategies that cover building components such as envelope, mechanical, water heating, lighti...
Example States and State Governments

Vermont’s Residential and Commercial Building Energy Standards

An update to the Residential and Commercial Building Energy Standards was adopted on December 18, 2019, effective September 1, 2020. Key changes include a solar ready residential stretch code, tighten...
Resource States and State Governments

National Energy Codes Collaborative

ACEEE’s National Energy Codes Collaborative launched in May, 2024, with the goal of empowering states and jurisdictions to effectively and sustainably implement updated building energy codes. States a...
Model Law Local Governments

LPDD Model Law: Model Ordinance on Green Building Construction

This model ordinance would require that new non-residential and certain multifamily buildings with a gross floor area above 10,000 sf (or other size chosen by the municipality) be constructed to a sta...
Example States and State Governments

California 2025 Building Energy Code

In September 2024, California regulators approved the latest edition of its building energy codes. The 2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards encourage installing heat pumps in new homes and certai...
Resource States and State Governments

ASHRAE and IECC Standards

In July 2021, The U.S. Department of Energy issued pre-publication Federal Register notice determining that the updated model building energy codes, the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IE...
Resource States and State Governments

DOE Building Energy Codes program

DOE supports the Building Energy Codes program, supporting building energy code development, adoption, implementation and enforcement processes to achieve the maximum practicable, cost-effective impro...
Model Law Local Governments

LPDD Model Law: EV Ready Building Code for One- and Two-Family Homes

To meet the EV penetration goals identified in the LPDD text, every garage or parking structure, be it residential, commercial, or industrial, being built or significantly altered should be designed a...
Example States and State Governments

Washington State Energy Code

The Washington State Energy Code (2016) adopts 2015 International Energy Conservation Code for residential and commercial buildings, with state-specific amendments. The WSEC establishes a goal of 70 p...
Example States and State Governments

California’s Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan

The California Public Utility Commission’s Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan calls for 50% existing commercial buildings to be zero energy by 2030, new state buildings and major renovations z...