Over the next 30 years, energy codes for residential and commercial buildings are expected to save $126 billion nationwide.

Designers and builders can improve energy efficiency with building energy codes, which regulate 80 percent of a building’s energy load. By making energy use an early design focus, energy codes create longstanding savings and can reduce environmental impacts.

PNNL’s role with building energy codes

PNNL is the lead support for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office’s Building Energy Codes Program (BECP). PNNL supports the development of model codes by participating in the established industry processes. Specifically, PNNL supports updating and implementing the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.1 and the International Energy Conservation Code. Our staff also supports the development of state and jurisdictional codes as requested. In addition to development, PNNL provides technical assistance for code implementation (adoption and compliance) to states and jurisdictions that have adopted or are considering adopting codes.

PNNL’s role ranges from technical analyses supporting development of energy codes to creating, maintaining, and supporting tools such as REScheck and COMcheck. This is the software that tens of thousands of projects use annually to demonstrate compliance with the energy code.

PNNL relies on established methodologies to quantify the energy and economic impacts of adoption and compliance at both the national and state levels. States use the state-specific results to inform state deliberations. Researchers at PNNL track the adoption status of the national model codes at the state and local level, including assessing the impacts of amendments states make to the energy codes. BECP also supports states validating compliance with their codes and quantifying associated impacts in the field.

Additional technical assistance is provided through education and training programs, leveraging empirical data to help states identify successes, challenges, and key workforce training opportunities. These training programs lead to professional licensing, certification and training jobs, and help the workforce adapt to new technologies and practices.