2020 IECC Will Lead to Significant Carbon Emissions Reductions

The 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is nearly finalized. This model building code will be a vehicle for significant cuts in carbon emissions. Jurisdictions that adopt the code will effectively require new buildings to reduce covered energy use by more than 10% on average compared to buildings meeting the previous code. The 2021 code will improve efficiency by more than a third compared to an earlier IECC released in 2009.

Among the new code provisions are:

· Requirements for high-efficiency water heating
· Electric circuits to allow future conversions to highly-efficient electrified equipment
· Pre-wiring buildings for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations
· A flexible energy savings provision that allows developers to choose different energy efficiency measures for homes
· An optional zero energy appendix that provides a pathway for cities and states to construct ultra-energy efficient homes that meet their remaining energy needs with renewable energy

More than 2,000 state and city officials from 641 jurisdictions across the country participated in the code revision process.

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