Week of July 5, 2010

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CODE ALERT BULLETIN

Brought to you by the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP) and its new website
the Online Code Environment & Advocacy Network (OCEAN)

Welcome to the weekly Code Alert Bulletin designed to share information and support timely participation in
state and local activities related to the adoption of building energy codes. Each bulletin will highlight immediate
opportunities to influence the outcome of state and local policy, indicate code status, and recommend action. We
believe that by broad dissemination of these opportunities among energy efficiency supporters, we will
collectively increase our impact at the state and local level and improve the outcome of policy debates and
legislative and regulatory proceedings.

We invite you to pass this email along to others who support energy efficiency improvements at the state and
local level and would like to receive this information.

If you are aware of activity that needs to be on this list, or would like to provide feedback on this bulletin, please
contact Paul Karrer at (202) 530-4347 or pkarrer@ase.org.

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*****
*Code Updates*
Oregon – New Commercial Energy Provisions Effective July 1

*Newest Alerts*
Georgia – SCAC Meeting July 29 for Final Approval of 2009 IECC, Residential Green Code
Michigan – July 20 Hearing, Comment Deadline on 2009 IECC and 90.1-2007
New Mexico – CIC Hearing for Final Approval of 2009 NMECC July 16
North Carolina – Written Comments on 2009 IECC Amendments Due July 16
Texas – Commercial Code Update Effective April 2011, Residential January 2012
Virginia – Final Approval Hearing on 2009 IECC on July 26

Locality Update – Austin, TX | New York City

DOE – Energy Codes 2010 Registration Open; Conference July 19-22

*Calendar*

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Oregon
Alert Status: After the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) filed an official Adoption Notice for its final draft of the
2010 Oregon Energy Efficiency Specialty Code (OEESC), the chapter on commercial energy efficiency (Chapter 5) of the
2010 OEESC will take the place of Chapter 13 of the 2007 Oregon Structural Specialty Code (OSSC). The commercial
chapter will be effective July 1, 2010 with a 90-day "phase-in" period where individuals may choose to build either to
the 2007 OSSC Chapter 13 energy provisions or the 2010 OEESC.
For the first time, the state’s energy efficiency construction provisions will be published as a stand-alone code and
based on the 2009 IECC. According to BCD, the code will achieve 15% energy savings beyond the existing commercial
code by making changes in three main areas: requiring increased insulation and energy-efficient windows, adding
automatic lighting controls, and requiring more efficient mechanical systems.
As for an updated residential code, BCD tentatively expects to complete work in April 2011 replacing Chapter 11 of the
2008 Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC) with Chapter 4 of the 2010 OEESC (which will achieve 10-15% greater
energy savings)
More Information: BCAP Oregon Code News | Adoption Notice | 2010 OEESC Final Draft | Oregon SB 79 | Oregon BCD
Action: If interested in getting involved, please contact Paul Karrer with BCAP [pkarrer@ase.org]
Top

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Georgia
Alert Status: The State Codes Advisory Committee (SCAC) will be holding a meeting July 29 to give final approval to
amendments developed by two code task forces to update the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes. Upon approval
by the SCAC and the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Board, both codes will take effect on January 1, 2011.
The 2009 IECC Task Force will recommend the adoption of the 2009 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2007 and 44 proposed
supplements/amendments. For more information, visit the Task Force homepage.
The Residential Green Building Code Task Force will recommend the adoption of a voluntary green standard for one-
and two-family dwellings based on the 2008 National Green Building Standard (ICC-700) developed by the International
Code Council (ICC) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For more information on the proposed
amendments to the ICC-700, visit the Task Force homepage.
More Information: BCAP Georgia Code News | SCAC Meeting Notice | 2009 IECC Task Force Homepage | RGBC
Homepage
Action: If interested in getting involved, please contact Brian Sernulka with BCAP [bsernulka@ase.org] or Eric Lacey
with RECA [eric.lacey@bbrslaw.com]
Top

Michigan
Alert Status: The Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) Bureau of Construction Codes will hold a
public hearing on July 20 to receive public comments on proposed amendments to the Michigan Uniform Energy Code
(MUEC), Part 10 (Residential)and Part 10a (Commercial). Written comments will be accepted until 5:00pm CT on July
20.
The proposed rules would adopt the 2009 IECC with Michigan amendments and ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 (the
MUEC is currently based on the 2003 IRC and ASHRAE 90.1-1999). If approved by the Bureau, these rules are proposed
to be effective 120 days after filing with the Secretary of State, sometime in late 2010 or early 2011.
More Information: BCAP Michigan Code News | Public Hearing Notice | Proposed MUEC: Residential & Commercial |
Bureau of Construction Codes
Action: If interested in getting involved, please contact Isaac Elnecave of MEEA [ielnecave@mwalliance.org]
Top
New Mexico
Alert Status: On May 14, the Construction Industries Commission (CIC) approved a set of proposed code amendments
that would make the 2009 New Mexico Energy Conservation Code (NMECC) approximately 20% more stringent than
the 2006 IECC (the residential and commercial portions of the 2009 IECC are about 13-15% and 5% above the 2006
IECC, respectively). The amendments to the 2009 IECC include stronger prescriptive values for fenestration U-factors
and R-values for ceilings, wood frame walls, and mass walls. The compliance option using ASHRAE Standard 90.1 has
also been removed.
CIC accepted written comments, and a series of five public hearings on the amendments were held throughout the
state June 28 – July 1. The amendments will then go before CIC for a final vote, likely at its next meeting July 16. The
implementation date (originally planned for summer 2010) is uncertain, though could be as early as January 2011.
More Information: BCAP New Mexico Code News | Proposed Amendments | Hearing Schedule | CID Homepage
Action: If interested in getting involved, please contact Jim Meyers with SWEEP [jmeyers@swenergy.org] or Paul Karrer
with BCAP [pkarrer@ase.org]
Top

North Carolina
Alert Status: After voting on March 9 to adopt recommendations to adopt the 2009 I-Codes, including the 2009 IECC
with NC amendments as the 2012 North Carolina State Building Codes, the North Carolina Building Code Council
(NCBCC) held a public hearing on the codes on June 15. Written public comments will be accepted through July 16.
The amendment packages are available online. A final adoption hearing is scheduled for September 14.
The product of a $500,000 competitive grant awarded by DOE in 2008, the NC amendments to the 2009 IECC are
intended to achieve 30% energy savings beyond the 2006 IECC. Amendments to Chapter 11 of the 2009 IRC will also
avoid compliance paths that contradict the IECC. The target effective date for the 2012 NC Building Codes is September
1, 2011 with a transition period until January 1, 2012 during which builders may still use the previous edition of the
codes. The NC Energy Division is in the process of preparing RFPs for code official training.
The NCBCC is also creating an Ad Hoc Committee to develop a green building code. Staff will use the Public Version of
the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) as the base code.
More Information: BCAP North Carolina Code News | 2012 North Carolina State Building Codes | NCBCC Home
Action: If interested in getting involved, please contact Chris Mathis with Mathis Consulting
[chris@mathisconsulting.com] or Eric Lacey with RECA [eric.lacey@bbrslaw.com]
Top
Texas
Alert Status: As published in the June 4 Texas Register, the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) has officially
adopted a rule (proposed March 26) to update the state’s energy codes codified in 34 TAC §19.53. The rule will update
the Texas Building Energy Performance Standards (currently based on the 2000 IECC with the 2001 Supplement) to:
For single family homes – the energy efficiency provisions (Chapter 11) of the 2009 International Residential
Code (IRC), effective January 1, 2012
For all other residential, commercial, and industrial buildings – the 2009 IECC, effective April 1, 2011 (this
effective date was mistakenly reported previously as January 1, 2011).
More Information: BCAP Texas Code News | Texas Register Adoption Notice (p. 4729) | Texas SECO
Action: If interested in getting involved, please contact Eric Lacey with RECA [eric.lacey@bbrslaw.com] or Cyrus Reed
with the Sierra Club in Texas [cyrus.reed@sierraclub.org]
Top

Virginia
Alert Status: The Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development has been working to update the Uniform
Statewide Building Code (USBC) to reference the 2009 IECC and 2009 IRC (it currently references the 2006 IECC). The
compilation document for the 2009 Code Change Cycle has been completed. The compilation document contains all
code changes received by DHCD along with a staff evaluation sheet for each change. The Board received public
comments in March and agreed on a revised adoption schedule to give final approval to the new regulations on July 26
(originally June 21), with a tentative effective date of September 30, 2010.
More Information: BCAP Virginia Code News | USBC Compilation Document | Proposed Text of USBC Update | 2009-
2010 VA Code Change Cycle Schedule
Action: If interested in getting involved, please contact Brian Sernulka with BCAP [bsernulka@ase.org] or Paul Karrer
with BCAP [pkarrer@ase.org]
Top

Locality Updates
Austin, TX – Austin City Council Approves Strengthened 2009 IECC, Effective October 1
New York City – City Energy Code More Stringent Than State Code | Effective July 1
Top

Department of Energy
Alert Status: DOE’s annual conference Energy Codes 2010 will be held July 19-22 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The
conference will provide hands-on training and face-to-face networking through various training activities with other
members in the energy codes community. It represents a unique opportunity to bring together state energy office
representatives and members of the building industry and to discuss current building energy code issues and receive
consistent technical training on building energy codes and standards.
Registration is now open at a reduced price by registering before July 9. Hotel reservations at the Westin Charlotte
must be made by June 28 to guarantee receiving a special rate of $100 per room per night. Online nominations for the
Jeffrey A. Johnson Award are due June 30.
More Information: Energy Codes 2010 | Registration | Hotel Information | Jeffrey A. Johnson Award
Top

*****
Events, Hearings, and Comment Deadlines
Thur, July 1: Oregon – 2010 OEESC effective statewide (commercial only); 90-day transition period begins
Thur, July 1: New York City – NYCECC (city energy code) effective citywide
Fri, July 16: New Mexico – CIC hearing for final approval of 2009 NMECC
Fri, July 16: North Carolina – Written public comments on 2012 NC State Building Code due
Mon-Thur, July 19-22: Energy Codes 2010 – DOE conference in Charlotte, NC
Tues, July 20: Michigan – BCC hearing & comment deadline on MUEC revisions in Dimondale, MI
Mon, July 26: Virginia – BHCD hearing on final approval of 2009 USBC
Thur, July 29: Georgia – SCAC meeting to approve 2009 IECC & Residential Green Code in Atlanta, GA
Sat, Aug 14 – Sun, Aug 22: ICC – IGCC Version 1.0 public comment hearings in Rosemont, IL
Fri, Sept 10: Washington – SBCC hearing for testimony on 2009 WSEC implementation date in Spokane
Tues, Sept 14: North Carolina – NCBCC hearing on final approval of 2012 NC State Building Code
Fri, Oct 15: Washington – SBCC hearing for testimony on 2009 WSEC implementation date in SeaTac area

BCAP Events Calendar

*And for the latest energy code news and BCAP activity,*
follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin.
 *****
To join or remove yourself from this mailing list,
please email your request to Paul Karrer at pkarrer@ase.org