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Contact:
Katie Weeks, IMT, 202-525-2883, x306 / katie.weeks@imt.org
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Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Energy Division; Chula Vista, Calif.; and Darren Meyers win building energy efficiency awards.
WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 18, 2016)—The U.S. Department of Energy recently found that strong energy codes could save homeowners, building owners, and tenants over $126 billion on energy bills over the next 25 years. Recognizing this massive potential, the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) and the International Code Council (ICC) are pleased to announce the 2016 winners for the Standard Bearers Awards for Excellence in Energy Code Compliance. Now in its fifth year, the awards honor states, cities, towns, and individuals who go above and beyond to raise compliance with building energy codes—and by doing so, help unlock billions in savings and improve the efficiency of America’s new and existing buildings and homes using cost-effective, practical, and innovative strategies.
“Strong building energy codes are one of the most effective and affordable tools to guarantee that buildings and homes save people money on energy bills and provide safe, healthy, and comfortable environments,” said IMT Executive Director Cliff Majersik. “This year, code development, adoption, and implementation are especially important as stakeholders prepare to vote on proposed changes to the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Making our codes progressively smarter and stronger, working to have these codes widely adopted, and increasing compliance in the field is one of the best ways to cut building energy use and tap into the many associated rewards. We applaud this year’s Standard Bearers Award winners for their hard work in this important realm.”
“ICC is proud to recognize our Members who are actively working to improve the safety and performance of buildings through better energy code compliance,” said International Code Council CEO Dominic Sims, CBO. “These leaders recognize the importance of our codes and standards in ensuring a safe and more sustainable built environment and we are pleased to partner with IMT and applaud their leadership.”
The 2016 Standard Bearers Award winners are:
State Jurisdiction Winner: Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Energy Division
Under the management of Energy Codes Program Manager Heather Goggin and the Energy and Residential Codes Board, the ADECA adopted its first two statewide residential energy codes, trained more than 1,400 construction industry professionals on code compliance, conducted an extensive energy code field study (executed by IMT under funding by the U.S. Department of Energy), and dedicated state energy program funding for continued energy code education.
Local Jurisdiction Winner: Chula Vista, California
Recognizing that a well-trained building department increases code compliance with California’s Title 24 energy code, the city of Chula Vista, Calif., employs a variety of outreach strategies to educate local stakeholders. In addition to conducting workshops, the City offers a “code coach” program where an expert is available one to two days a week to guide permit applicants and help ensure that they are properly complying with the state’s stringent energy code requirements. This hands-on approach has led to increases in compliance and cultivates well-informed building departments that are able to act faster and facilitate an overall more-efficient and effective code compliance process. The program also has generated education resources and tools for public use.
Energy Code Leader: Darren Meyers of Tinley Park, Ill.
A professional engineer who holds 16 licenses and certifications, Mr. Meyers has been instrumental in developing the national model energy codes and working to improve energy code compliance in Illinois. He is a founding partner of BuildRIGHT Illinois and current president of International Energy Conservation Consultants, LLC, an energy codes and simulation services group in Tinley Park, Ill. He is an active lecturer on building energy systems and innovative code, construction technology, and sustainability for ICC, the Chicago Department of Buildings, and the Illinois, Kentucky, and Nebraska State Energy Offices. And, as a consulting engineer for the Illinois Office of Energy & Recycling Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, Mr. Meyers focuses on energy code compliance, field implementation, training and education, technical interpretations, and performing load calculations and analysis of HERS compliance programs.
While the recent DOE analysis examined changes over the coming 25 years, IMT research asserts that savings could begin much sooner: Bringing a year’s worth of new residential and commercial construction up to code in the U.S. could save $189 million in one year—equal to a lifetime savings of up to $37.1 billion for just five years’ worth of new buildings.
This year’s Standard Bearers Awards winners were chosen by a panel of past award winners and code and energy efficiency experts, including representatives of the Building Codes Assistance Project; the City of Des Moines, Iowa; ICC; and the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. Each winner received a travel stipend to attend the 2016 ICC Annual Conference and ICC Awards Luncheon on October 18 in Kansas City, Mo., where they were formally recognized.
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ABOUT IMT: The Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization promoting energy efficiency, green building, and environmental protection in the United States and abroad. IMT's work addresses market failures that inhibit investment in energy efficiency and sustainability in the building sector. For more information, visit imt.org and follow us on Twitter at @IMT_speaks.
ABOUT ICC: The International Code Council is a member-focused association. It is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes.
The International Codes, or I-Codes, published by ICC, provide minimum safeguards for people at home, at school and in the workplace. The I-Codes are a complete set of comprehensive, coordinated building safety and fire prevention codes. Building codes benefit public safety and support the industry’s need for one set of codes without regional limitations. For more information, visit www.iccsafe.org