By Todd Sims, Director, Regulatory and Industry Affairs, NEMA
It’s been a blockbuster year for news and progress on electrifying the built environment. Even before President Joe Biden declared May National Building Safety Month, there was a burst of activity across the buildings sector related to codes and standards development and adoption for energy-saving technologies.
Access to efficient, energy resilient, high-performing homes and businesses is critical to creating energy savings for residents and protection in extreme weather. NEMA members manufacture products that contribute to the construction of these safe, efficient, and resilient homes and businesses in communities across the United States.
With recent developments in the built environment in Congress, the agencies and at NEMA, the electroindustry is advancing the energy transition, safety, cost savings, and decarbonization. The billions of dollars that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are moving into communities are driving high-performance buildings through code adoption, building retrofits, equipment rebate programs and more.
Here’s a look at how NEMA helped advance progress in the built environment over the last few months and a peek at NEMA’s High Performance Building Expo upcoming in June:
HUD and USDA Adopt the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for Low-Income Households
As a member of The Campaign for Lower Home Energy Costs Coalition, NEMA was proud to support a major win for energy code adoption and access to electrification benefits, as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the adoption of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for low-income households. This guarantees that new construction of HUD- and USDA-assisted homes are built to the 2021 IECC.
This decision lowers the energy burden on low-income homes, reducing monthly utility bills in the process. According to HUD, residents will save an estimated $14,500 for single-family homes and $5,886 per multifamily unit over 30 years, net of costs, compared to homes under existing U.S. requirements.
Bloomberg and HousingWire stories examined the decision and featured statements from NEMA.
Pro Codes Advances Out of Committee
Another piece of good news for the built environment came from the House Judiciary Committee when it advanced the bipartisan Protecting and Enhancing Public Access to Codes Act (Pro Codes Act), H.R. 1631. Sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA-48) The bill, introduced in March 2023, ensures copyright protections for Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) that form the bedrock of public safety in the built environment.
NEMA will continue to advocate for its advancement in the Senate and eventually full passage in both the House and Senate.
State Code Adoption Update
On state code adoption, NEMA’s technical field representatives and government relations teams are working to advance code adoption in the following states:
Minnesota, Ohio and Michigan: All three states have completed their code update process and adopted the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) thanks in part to NEMA’s efforts. This code adoption means safer electrical installation in residential, commercial, and industrial settings.
New York: The rulemaking process to begin adoption of the 2023 NEC and 2021 IECC is expected to begin in September.
Pennsylvania: NEMA is currently participating in the rulemaking process to adopt the 2020 NEC and 2021 IECC which is being finalized now.
South Carolina: Supporting passage of SB 1171, which would require new and renovated commercial construction to comply with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).
NEMA is already planning for an active energy code adoption landscape next year. Along with the 2024 IECC being published, significant funding through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are being made available to help states, cities, and tribes adopt the latest energy codes.
Pushing Back on International Code Council (ICC) Board IECC Decision
NEMA led a voracious push back against the ICC Board’s disastrous decision to remove electrification-ready provision from the 2024 IECC and place them in the code’s appendix. This significantly weakened the code and made the electrification provisions optional. The Board’s decision to ignore the consensus process and to overturn the Appeals Board drew criticism from many Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), NEMA included. Patrick Hughes, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Technical, and Industry Affairs, NEMA, commented on the impacts of this decision and the steps NEMA will take to rectify and bring these provisions back into the code.
NEMA’s High Performance Building Expo – June 26, 10am, Rayburn House Office Building
Next month, NEMA will host our High Performance Building Expo on Capitol Hill. The event will showcase the products NEMA members are making to power the energy transition in the built environment. From advanced lighting, to vehicle-to-building technology, energy storage, smart panels and meters, electrical safety and more, this is a chance to see the electrical products that power our future. We hope you will join us!