Roofs painted white can reflect heat and reduce warm-weather energy use, but in cooler regions like Minneapolis or Chicago, the issue of energy efficiency is less straightforward.
NSF International, an independent global organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products, has published the first in a series of American National Standards for Ground-Source Geothermal Piping Systems – NSF/ANSI 358-1.
“Zero-net-energy buildings will become increasingly commonplace, in both residential and commercial sectors, as LEED and ENERGY STAR certifications have become too commonplace to confer competitive advantage among building owners,” says green design
Utah’s outdated residential building codes mean higher energy costs for residents. New homes built in Utah have to meet minimum standards for energy efficiency from 2006, and experts say a lot has changed since then.
All new residential construction projects for both new and existing homes in the state of Illinois will be subject to new IECC 2012 building code changes that go into effect on Jan. 1, 2013.
The city of Hailey, Idaho, is considering making mandatory its two-year-old voluntary Build Better program that provides extensive guidelines for building more energy-efficient homes.
The National Roofing Contractors Association has made available its "Guidelines for Complying with Building Code Requirements for Roof Assemblies: International Building Code, 2009 Edition."
The Omaha (Neb.) Planning Department this winter will roll out a new electronic permit review system where builders and homeowners will be able to submit plans online for electronic review and approval.