Early in March, the board of directors of the International Code Council (ICC) moved to overhaul the process for developing its model energy code. The controversial change entails switching from a framework in which thousands of ICC members, who are government officials, voted on code updates to one that puts the power largely in the hands of committees appointed by the ICC board, with representatives from trade groups and other interests. The shift has been widely criticized by efficiency proponents who worry it will give too much say to those with a financial stake in the outcome, compromising the code’s effectiveness as a tool for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.
The decision comes in the wake of the finalization of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Published in December, it is the code’s most energy-efficient edition. Buildings constructed according to the 2021 IECC would be between 8 and 14 percent more efficient than the previous version, published in 2018. Environmental advocates say the latest code is the product of deep engagement by ICC members—officials working for building departments or those connected to public health and safety—pointing to the large number of votes cast. Many of the 2021 IECC’s key efficiency provisions received more than 1,000 votes in favor, says Amy Boyce, associate director of codes and technical strategy at the Institute for Market Transformation, which promotes high-performance buildings. In previous code cycles, proposals typically received between 200 and 300 votes, total.
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