Forget Fed Legislation—Building Energy Code Has Already Been Decided

I’d really been focused on the potential impact of federal climate legislation. So I don’t know how I missed the fact that when governors of 50 states accepted $3 billion in stimulus money in February in the form of state energy grants from the Department of Energy that they were also agreeing to adopt and enforce building energy codes that meet or exceed ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007. This model code covers new buildings and existing buildings with major remodeling, equipment replacement or renovations.

By taking the money, about $1.5 billion of which has been so far dispersed, the governors also agreed to be 90% compliant with the latest energy code by 2017.

Uncertain as to what it meant, I rang up Jeffrey P. Harris, vice president for programs with the Alliance to Save Energy based in D.C. (more…)