3rd Annual Summit Breakout Session
Introduced by: Ian Hughes, Bayer Material Science
State of Energy Codes in the Region: With 98,700 single family permits issued in 2014, Texas builds far more homes than any other state, and this trend is likely to continue. Oklahoma builds another 10,400 and is in the top quartile of states for new home starts. In a region known more for producing energy than for conserving it, energy codes are a hot topic, with at least one energy code bill being considered in the Texas Legislature this year. Oklahoma also has a bill that recommends extending the Tax Credit to 2018 for builders who meet higher levels of energy efficiency. SPEER is also engaged in a Field Study to collect data through a sampling of homes during construction and assess the state of building practices in Texas. Findings from this study will be used to identify training needs and resources and may be instrumental in developing new utility programs and builder incentives. Our Energy Code Ambassadors are providing local assistance with energy code issues in both states. With all of this as background, we will discuss the adoption of the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), compliance challenges, and industry engagement needed to make this next level of efficiency achievable.
Participants in this breakout discussion include Steve Saunders of TexEnergy, Michael Power of the American Chemistry Council, Eric Makela of the Britt/Makela Group, Bill Fay of the Energy Efficiency Codes Coalition, Chris Rosemond of BASF, and Kathy Howard of Environments for Living.