Signature Capability
Building Energy Codes Program (BECP)
TP&D-BECP Strengthening the nation's buildings through:
- Stronger Building Energy Codes
- Code Compliance & Training Tools
- Outreach and Training to Stakeholders
- Technical Assistance to States
TP&D-BECP: A National Resource on Building Energy Codes:
We support the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Energy Codes Program improves energy efficiency in the nation's buildings by promoting adoption and implementation of stronger building energy codes. We collaborate with federal, state and local government, national code organizations and industry to:
- Improve energy codes to make way for new technologies and better practices.
- Help state and local government implement and enforce these new codes.
- Setting the Standard with Building Energy Codes Development.
TP&D-BECP works closely with national codes organizations to develop more stringent and easy-to-understand building energy codes and assess code barriers to new energy-efficient practices and technologies.
These efforts include:
- Strengthening national model energy codes, which serve as the basis of most state codes. BECP recently initiated sweeping changes to the residential chapters of the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), recommending a shorter, more usable code.
- Developing and promulgating improved Federal building energy codes. These codes apply to facilities constructed or used by any Federal agency that is not legally subject to state or local building codes.
- Aligning energy codes with new energy-efficient technologies. BECP helped develop new lighting power density limits for the IECC and ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1. The reduced watts-per-square-foot reflect improvements the lighting industry has made in equipment and application.
- Encouraging above-code energy efficiency, by removing code barriers to sustainable and energy-efficient technologies and coordinating development of code-compliance tools with voluntary high-efficiency programs such as ENERGY STAR® and Home Energy Rating Systems.
Maximizing Energy Efficiency with Compliance Tools and Training Materials: TP&D-BECP develops easy-to-use code compliance tools and training materials to help building professionals comply with code requirements. Key software products include REScheckTM and COMcheck-EZTM, which are used nationwide by designers, builders, product manufacturers and code officials. Together with accompanying users' guides, videotapes, training materials and compliance manuals, these tools streamline compliance with the IECC and Standard 90.1. They deliver greater energy savings by making energy code compliance and enforcement easier.
Ensuring Results through Outreach and Training: Energy codes maximize energy efficiency only when they are fully supported through adequate education and outreach. To that end, BECP provides training on model energy codes and code compliance software via classroom presentation, video, web cast and CD. Our award-winning website, www.energycodes.gov, offers the opportunity to download compliance software, publications and training materials at no cost. The Energy Codes Online Help Desk (technical support) is widely used by building professionals and serves as a valuable resource to states that have recently adopted or updated energy codes. BECP's newsletter, Setting the Standard, is another award winner that keeps stakeholders current on the latest energy code news. BECP also sponsors the annual National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes-the only conference focused solely on adoption, implementation and enforcement of building energy codes.
Supporting Stakeholders through Technical Assistance: BECP provides a variety of code-related technical assistance to states and local jurisdictions. The program quantifies the energy and economic impacts of state and local energy codes. BECP assists states modify national model energy codes to meet state needs. BECP also develops state-specific code compliance software and training materials.
For more information visit www.energycodes.gov
Contact: Terry Shoemaker