Continuing a strong focus on green buildings, the Biden-Harris administration launched a new initiative on June 1 to advance building codes across the U.S., as a key strategy in addressing the climate crisis.
The National Initiative to Advance Building Codes includes incentives and support for communities to adopt updated building codes and a commitment to lead by example across the vast federal buildings portfolio, including through above-code standards. USGBC is also pleased to see the administration’s pledge to comprehensively review federal funding and financing of building construction and to require modern codes and standards to the greatest extent possible.
Why building codes matter
Building energy codes are essential to USGBC’s work, as they lay the foundation for green buildings. The Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that updated codes will deliver $138 billion in energy cost savings from 2010–2040—or about $162 annually per residential unit—along with 900 million metric tons of carbon emissions reduction.
In addition to providing savings, building codes are a cost-effective tool for improving indoor air quality, strengthening grid reliability and increasing resilience to natural disasters. They are living documents that constantly evolve to improve efficiency and resiliency.
The Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation program
While building codes more than pay for themselves over time, the initial process of updating codes can be an impediment. Many states have struggled to adopt or implement updated codes, due to a lack of resources and technical support.
One of the initiatives included in the administration’s announcement was the ongoing rollout of a $225 million competitive grant program supporting updated codes implementation. The Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation program is overseen by DOE and funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law passed in November 2021.
https://www.usgbc.org/articles/white-house-announces-building-codes-initiative