NBI Releases Code Language for Carbon Neutral Buildings
New Building Decarbonization Code works as an overlay to the 2021 IECC for residential and commercial construction projects
“The Building Decarbonization Code is designed to meet jurisdictions where they are.”
-NBI Director of Codes Kim Cheslak
New Buildings Institute (NBI) released today new code language that serves as a building decarbonization overlay to the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The Building Decarbonization Code is a ground breaking tool aiming to deliver carbon neutral performance. It is designed to help states and cities working to mitigate carbon resulting from energy use in the built environment, which accounts for 39% of U.S. emissions. It also offers market insight into rules that will determine how new buildings are designed and constructed in the future in order to curb the worst impacts of climate change.
The recent efficiency gains in the 2021 IECC, creates ideal timing to offer a “decarbonization overlay” to the model code. The Building Decarbonization Code language is structured to be compatible with the current version of the IECC and covers both residential and commercial construction. The IECC is in use or adopted in 49 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, NYC and Puerto Rico, according to the International Code Council (ICC), which manages the code’s development.