Building Codes Assistance Project

In July, the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development voted in favor of adopting a recommendation to update the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) to reference the 2009 IECC (it currently references the 2006 IECC). A comment period on the proposed USBC will be open from September 28, 2009 to January 25, 2010.

[Updated September 1, 2009]

On May 31, the Illinois General Assembly approved the Energy Efficient Building Act (HB 3987), which now includes residential buildings under the requirements of the state building code, preempting local jurisdiction home rule power over energy codes.  The bill requires the state's Capital Development Board to adopt the most recent version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) within 9 months of its publication and take effect 3 months thereafter (Section 20-a).

[Updated July 9, 2009]

On January 28, a bill (HB 6284) was introduced in the Connecticut General Assembly to establish a new state building energy code and green buildings for certain construction projects.  After the adoption of an amendment, the bill now requires the State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee to revise the State Building Code to incorporate the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) within 18 months of its publication for commercial and residential buildings.

On June 25, 2009, the Montana Building Code Council voted to adopt the 2009 IECC with amendments. The Montana Department of Labor and Industry will be accepting comments on the new code when the department holds the public hearing as part of the administrative Rules process, which should take effect in fall of 2009.

Within the past month, the U.S. Department of Energy has approved State Energy Program (SEP) plans for 50 states and territories submitted per the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). To date, DOE has approved more than $1.188 billion in Recovery Act funding to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in these jurisdictions (see MAP).