Home

Code Status: Texas

This page contains information about current energy codes in the state of Texas. Information for all 50 States is also available. Texas Code News.

Current State Codes

  • Residential Code: 2000 IECC with 2001 Supplement, mandatory for all buildings; jurisdictions may adopt a more recent code. 2003 IECC mandatory for state-funded buildings. Can use REScheck to show compliance.
  • Commercial Code: 2000 IECC with 2001 Supplement, with reference to ASHRAE 90.1-2001, mandatory for all buildings. Jurisdictions may adopt a more recent code. For local jurisdictions, COMcheck can be used to show compliance. ASHRAE 90.1-2007 mandatory for state-funded buildings. Can use ASHRAE Compliance Form from ASHRAE User Manual to show compliance.
  • Code Change Cycle: No set schedule. Most recent update for commercial and residential buildings effective: August 13, 2002.
  • Jurisdictions: (Information last updated August 13, 2008. See ICC Online for up-to-date jurisdictional adoption information).
    • 2006 IECC: Allen, Bellaire, Benbrook, Bevil Oaks, Brazoria, Brownwood, Carrollton, Cibolo, Cleveland, College Station, Elgin, Flower Mound, Gainseville, Galveston, Goliad, Greenville, Highland Park, Hutchins, La Porte, Laredo, Leon Valley, Levelland, Manvel, Port Isabel, Portland, Richardson, Rosenberg, Sealy, Southlake, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Universal City, Webster, Wharton, Wichita Falls
    • 2003 IECC: Alamo, Alamo Heights, Alice, Alvardo, Amarillo, Arlington, Baytown, Bee Cave, Boerne, Bowie, Brownsville, Bryan, Cedar Park, City of the Colony, Cleburne, Colleyville, Dallas, Denton, DeSoto, Duncanville, Ennis, Euless, Farmers Branch, Fredericksburg, Garland, Grand Prairie, Grand Saline, Haltom City, Hamilton, Huntsville, Hurst, Hutto, Irving, Jonestown, Keller, Kemah, Killeen, Lake Jackson, Lake Worth, Lancaster, Leander, Liberty Hill, Lindale, Little Elm, Lorena, Marble Falls, Marshall, McGregor, McKinney, Mesquite, Midland, Mont Belvieu, Montgomery, New Braunfels, Plano, Prosper, Salado, San Angelo, Santa Fe, Shavano Park, Sherman, Sugar Land, The Colony, Waco, Waller, Weatherford, West University Place, Westlake, Willis, Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo
    • 2001 IECC Supplement: McAllen
    • 2000 IECC: Beaumont, Burnet, Conroe, Georgetown, Helotes, Houston, Kerrville, Lakeway, Llano, Lubbock, Mansfield, Nassau Bay, Nederland, Richmond, San Antonio, Victoria, Watauga
top

Code Adoption & Change Process

Process Type: Legislative & Regulatory

Code Change Process: The Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) has autonomy over the adoption of building codes for state-funded buildings, and Texas's legislative body has control over the adoption of statewide energy codes. The adoption language of "or the most current adopted version" is not automatic upon publication by ASHRAE or ICC. SECO needs to provide an adoption notification to the public after an internal determination in consultation with its legal division.

To achieve energy conservation in all commercial and industrial construction and in residential construction other than single-family residential construction, Texas Health and Safety Code, §388.003(b), adopted the International Energy Conservation Code as it existed on May 1, 2001, as the energy code for use in this state for all such construction. Texas Health and Safety Code, §388.003(b-1), authorizes SECO to adopt the new or latest published edition of the International Energy Conservation Code if it will result in residential or commercial energy efficiency and air quality that is equivalent to or better than the 2001 Code. SECO will receive a recommendation from the Energy Systems Laboratory at the Texas Engineering Experiment Station of The Texas A&M University System ("Laboratory") on the efficacy of the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code compared to the version of that Code as it existed on May 1, 2001. Texas Health and Safety Code, §388.003(b-3), requires the Laboratory to consider the written comments of interested parties that have been submitted to SECO within 30 days of the publication of this notice. 

State Code History: In June 2001, Texas adopted a mandatory statewide energy code (Texas Health & Safety Code - Section 388.003: Adoption Of Building Energy Efficiency Performance Standards), based on the 2000 IECC including the 2001 supplement through Senate Bill 5 (SB 5). This affected residential and commercial buildings statewide. For state-funded buildings, the State Energy Conservation Office adopted ASHRAE 90.1-2004.

Except for state-owned buildings, Texas had no mandatory statewide energy code before 1999 for either residential or commercial buildings. Texas is a home rule state; thus, state law cannot override local law. No attempt had been made to adopt mandatory energy codes on a statewide basis. The state was encouraging voluntary adoption and use by training code officials and home builders.

The 2006 IECC was not adopted because SECO received a letter from ESL-Texas A&M (which was charged in the adoption bill by state legislators to provide technical support) about concern with the stringency of that version, when applied in Texas. 

On March 9, 2009, a bill was introduced in the Texas State Legislature that would adopt the energy efficiency provisions of the 2009 IRC for single-family homes and the 2009 IECC for all other residential, commerical, and industrial construction. These requirements would be effective September 1, 2009.

On April 17, 2009, a notice for public comments for persons interested in the 2009 IECC was published in the Texas Register. All written comments submitted no later than 30 days following the publication date to the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) will be forwarded to the Energy Systems Laboratory at Texas A&M for a recommendation.  

top

Energy Consumption Estimates

The consumption estimates below are derived from the total end use of residential and commercial energy consumption in the United States in 2006, and are not limited to energy consumption based on building code-related factors. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.

  • Residential Sector: 1,579.6 Trillion BTU
  • Commercial Sector: 1,375.3 Trillion BTU
  • Total Energy Consumption: 2,954.9 Trillion BTU
top

Construction Activity

Residential:

  • Population (2000 US Census)1: 20,851,820
  • Total Housing Units2: 8,502,060
  • 2004 New Housing Units Authorized by Permit (Privately Owned)3:
    • total units: 186,664
    • 1 unit: 148,193
    • 2 units: 3,262
    • 3 and 4 units: 3,573
    • 5+ units: 31,636
    • structures of 5+ units: 1835

References:

  1. http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t2/tab01.xls
  2. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/housing/sthuhh1.txt
  3. http://www.census.gov/const/C40/Table2/20k_t2yu200412.txt

top

Green Building Initiatives

 

Code Funding Opportunities

There are two funding opportunities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA): Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants and State Energy Program. Please reference the U.S. Department of Energy for Texas's allocated amount and updated information. 

 

Web Links

top

State Energy Code Contacts

Felix Lopez
Comptroller of Public Accounts
State Energy Conservation Office (CPA/SECO)
111 E. 17th Street
LBJ State Office Bldg. Room #1114
Austin, TX 78774
Tel: (512) 463-1080
Fax: (512) 475-2569
felix.lopez@cpa.state.tx.us

top