Illinois is the latest jurisdiction to release a stretch energy code that provides standards for communities to mandate more efficient building construction. St. Louis, Mo., and a few states, including California, Colorado, and Massachusetts, currently have stretch codes in place.
Illinois' new Stretch Energy Code can be adopted by municipalities on June 30. For residential buildings of all sizes, the code provides tiered benchmarks for energy efficiency levels based on a site energy index relative to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).
For instance, by the end of 2025, sector-specific buildings must achieve a site energy index no greater than 40% of the 2006 IECC.
Efficiency requirements in the 2006 IECC are far lower than the 2021 version. Policymakers opted for the less stringent code, figuring that more communities would adopt a stretch code if it was easier to meet than the current IECC.
Related Stories
| Nov 29, 2012
Storms like Sandy highlight the need for stricter codes, says insurance expert
Experts on insurance, weather, and catastrophe modeling say the role of climate change in Hurricane Sandy and future storms is unclear.
| Nov 29, 2012
Quake simulation to test concrete building's strength in California
Researchers aim to gauge how buildings constructed with reinforced concrete withstand an earthquake by conducting a simulation test at a two-story building built in the 1920s in El Centro, Calif.
| Nov 26, 2012
Questions linger over ability of Miami's newer high-rises to withstand hurricanes
Some towers in Miami, rebuilt after a hurricane in 2005, were allowed to be constructed under older building codes instead of newer ones created after Hurricane Wilma.
| Nov 26, 2012
Changes in development and building standards needed for health of Potomac River
The Potomac River’s health stands to suffer if the region does not change its development and building standards, according to the Potomac Conservancy.
| Nov 16, 2012
South Dakota prefers LEED over building code on state projects
“(LEED is) much better than a mandatory building code because you get a little wiggle room in these projects,” said Mike Mueller, a spokesman for the South Dakota Bureau of Administration.
| Oct 18, 2012
Princeton, N.J. residents upset over proposal to exempt colleges from land use laws
Princeton, N.J. residents criticized proposed legislation that would exempt private colleges and universities from following local land use laws for construction projects.
| Oct 11, 2012
Morristown, N.Y., settles code violation dispute with Amish
The town of Morristown, N.Y., has dropped charges of building code violations against local Amish communities to settle a First Amendment complaint.
| Oct 11, 2012
Mesquite, Nev., rebels against state-mandated energy code
The city council of Mesquite, Nev., voted against adopting a new energy efficiency code adopted by the state.
| Oct 11, 2012
Bloomingdale, N.J., restricts ground solar and wind energy installations
The borough of Bloomingdale, N.J., recently adopted regulations for solar-energy and wind energy systems.
| Sep 20, 2012
Smithtown, N.Y. considers bigger fines for building code violations
After a Suffolk County grand jury recommended stiffer fines for illegal demolitions, Smithtown, NY officials are weighing tougher penalties for developers who violate the town building code.