Categories: BlogCodes

The Time to ACT is NOW! How the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) can help Texas and Oklahoma move forward.

Texas and Oklahoma continue to lag behind in building and energy codes. In fact, in some areas, local jurisdictions have codes that were set in 2009 and earlier. That’s right, nearly 15 years ago, almost a full generation, building standards are meeting minimum requirements that were set before the FIRST IPAD WAS RELEASED, or before THE FIRST INSTAGRAM POST EVER HAPPENED. What in the world is going on!

Luckily, there are now funding opportunities to help both states and local jurisdictions get up to speed and help their communities by moving to a more modern, resilient, and cost-effective code standard. The Department of Energy and the State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) have released guidance on receiving up to $400 million to update and modernize existing codes. And what exactly is the DOE offering? Find the announcement here!

$240 million to adopt and implement the latest building energy code (the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for residential buildings and the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1–2019 for commercial buildings) or other codes with equivalent or greater energy savings.

$160 million to adopt and implement the zero energy provisions in the 2021 IECC, or other codes with equivalent or greater energy savings.

So…what’s the catch, right? To be eligible to receive any of this funding, states and local jurisdictions must opt in by submitting a letter of intent (LOI) by November 21^st, 2023. You aren’t obligated by submitting the letter, only putting your name in the hat for the possibility of applying for funds to help not only update building and energy codes, but also enhance workforce development and increase code related trainings. Our communities NEED updated codes, which help with resiliency during the extreme weather events which are becoming more common, help alleviate pressure on the grid and most importantly, reduce energy costs many of our neighbors.

Find out more at the links below, including easy instructions on drafting the LOI. Now’s the time to take advantage of funding to help increase the standards and reduce burdens and costs to our communities and states.

Step-by-step instructions for drafting an LOI.
Optional LOI template provided by the DOE. (Note: Ensure that you check all the boxes for full eligibility, even if the allocation of funds is uncertain.)
Administrative and Legal Requirements Document (ALRD) to guide you through the full application process.