Energy Codes
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HERS Score Change -- Equivalency Letter (8/24/06)
Energy codes are part of a jurisdiction’s building regulations
that delineate minimum standards for construction practices,
materials, or home performance as they relate to a home’s
efficient use of energy. The primary use of energy in a home
is for space heating and cooling and water heating. Energy
codes ensure that a home does not lose as much heat to the
outside in cold weather, nor absorb undue heat during hot
weather. More specifically, energy codes address home components
and systems ranging from insulation, windows, and solar orientation
to framing options and consideration of climate zones. The
goals of energy codes are to maximize the use of energy resources,
decrease unnecessary pollution through efficient fossil fuel
use, and achieve higher quality and more comfortable homes.
Colorado
Energy Codes and Trends
Colorado is a home rule
state, meaning that cities and counties have jurisdiction
over building codes and any energy codes included within
them. There is much variation among jurisdictions, but
building departments both state and nationwide are moving
towards including energy codes, a trend supported by influential
builder associations such as the National Association
of Home Builders (NAHB), the Colorado Association of Home
Builders (CAHB), and the Denver Home Builders Association
(DHBA).
Energy Supply and Demand. In most of the world,
the easiest to reach energy supplies have already been
used. While there are still large quantities fossil fuel
reserves, it is getting increasingly difficult to extract
them. For instance, the only area of the world that will
not have peaked in oil production by the year 2005 is
Middle Eastern OPEC nations. This points to global energy
supply issues in the future. Nationally, power plants
still rely heavily on fossil fuels, especially natural
gas. The natural gas industry is also experiencing flat
production despite increased drilling. Colorado has enjoyed
decades of readily available and cheap natural gas supply.
This ended at beginning of 2003 with the exporting of
natural gas to other states and consumption by private
industry. Many Colorado consumers experienced utility
cost increases this year; a trend that is expected to
continue. At the same time, energy demand has increased,
and will continue to do so. Meeting the energy needs of
an increasing population with the same or even decreasing
supplies will require attention to energy efficiency.
Environmental Impact of Energy Use. Using fossil
fuels creates hazardous byproducts that contribute to
air pollution and global warming. Political and societal
entities are increasingly concerned about these impacts,
resulting in increasing regulation of pollution sources,
such as utilities that supply the energy needs of residential
markets. Minimizing energy use through improvements in
home systems without sacrificing comfort or standard of
living is one intended outcome of implementing energy
codes.
Energy Code Choices. Jurisdictions can adopt
the International Residential Code (IRC), which contains
Chapter 11 on energy, or the International Energy Conservation
Code (IECC), or both. Adopting one or both of these is
the trend in Colorado and nationwide. In the past, some
Colorado jurisdictions adopted the Model Energy Codes
(MEC), which has been supplanted by the IRC and IECC and
is no longer being updated. Some still have no energy
codes.
Building a New
Home
New homes must be built to meet the energy
code of the controlling jurisdiction. The building department
of the jurisdiction determines whether a home fulfills
the terms of a local energy code. New homes may be inspected
for compliance through inspections for prescribed methods
and materials, or a building department may allow for
compliance through a home systems analysis, such as is
provided by an E-Star™ Home
Energy Rating.
Energy-Efficient
Homes
Energy-efficient homes contribute to better
use of resources nationally and statewide. They also do
their part to minimize pollution and negative environmental
impacts by minimizing fossil fuel use. While these outcomes
may have driven the trend towards energy-efficiency, a
subsequent, but no less important consequence of improving
energy efficiency in a home is improved comfort for the
inhabitants due to more consistent home temperatures.
In using energy more efficiently, utility bills are also
minimized. These quality and cost issues for homeowners
create societal and political forces that promote the
adoption of energy codes. Many energy-efficient homes,
such as those that have been designated
E-Star,
ENERGY STAR®,
or Built Green™
typically exceed the minimum requirements of local energy
codes. More Information
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