Shannon Van Hoesen, shannon.vanhoesen@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC - The International Code Council (ICC) announced yesterday that the final version of its new commercial and residential energy codes will not include widely popular and expert-backed provisions that would have reduced energy waste and pollution.
The ICC’s International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which is periodically updated, “establishes minimum requirements for energy-efficient buildings” and provides a model for building codes set by state and local governments.
The draft version of 2024 IECC code was designed to ensure new homes and buildings are highly efficient and ready for a future in which electric technologies, like heat pumps and EV chargers, are standard. That version of the code would have meant lower energy costs for consumers, reduced air and climate pollution, and more resilient buildings better able to withstand extreme weather.
Over 90% of voting members voted in favor of the efficiency and decarbonization standards, with many speaking out in support of the provisions. However, the ICC caved to pushback by the gas industry in an unexpected move at the last minute and removed the electrification-ready measures.
In reaction, Acting Director of Sierra Club’s Building Electrification Campaign Amneh Minkara said:
“With no federal safeguards in place for pollution from buildings, energy codes are some of the best protections we have to ensure homes and businesses are safe, clean, and resilient. The ICC has lost credibility with its decision to cave to industry at the expense of consumers and the climate. All is not lost, though. States can and should fill the leadership void left by the ICC and enact electric-ready building codes to save consumers money on energy bills and ensure new and retrofitted buildings do not waste energy or contribute further to the climate crisis.”
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