These 5 Changes May Be Coming to the IECC in 2021

These five proposals were recently made to amend the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for commercial buildings.

The Institute for Market Transformation reports that some of the most likely amendments to come out of recent proposal meetings are mostly structural. They include stricter building envelope standards, a permanent certificate for commercial buildings, required energy recovery ventilation for multifamily buildings, decreased lighting power densities, and new plug load regulations.

During the hearings, clarity was brought to the issue of what is technically considered to be the building envelope, addressing concrete slab edges that often go under-insulated or don’t have any insulation period. This clarification will help designers and code officials eliminate thermal breaks that are critical to the success of code provisions that require envelope improvements.

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