Answering the Tough Questions About Energy Codes

Buildings and Beyond - Steven Winter Associates, Inc.

What happens when you put four sustainable building experts involved in energy code development in a room and ask them to bring their favorite—and sometimes, most controversial—topics for discussion? You end up with more questions than answers!

In this roundtable episode hosted by Robb Aldrich, our guests ask each other these tough questions related to our nation’s energy codes:

• Performance Metrics: How can energy codes be simplified? Is energy use intensity (EUI) a viable alternate metric?
• Gas Bans: If jurisdictions cannot ban gas, how can we put electrification in the energy code?
• Embodied Carbon: How should embodied carbon accounting be incorporated into energy codes?
• Robb’s Bonus Question #1: How are building inspectors dealing with complicated energy codes?
• Robb’s Bonus Question #2: Should there be electric vehicle (EV) charging requirements in energy codes?

Episode Guests

• Gayathri Vijayakumar, Principal Mechanical Engineer on SWA’s Residential Building Services Team
• Karla Butterfield, Sustainability Director on SWA’s Residential Building Services Team
• William Zoeller, Director of Building Enclosure Services at SWA
• Dylan Martello, Senior Building Systems Consultant on SWA’s Passive House Team
• Host: Robb Aldrich, Principal Mechanical Engineer on SWA’s Residential Building Services Team

Episode Information & Resources

IECC:

• 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) – CHAPTER 4 (iccsafe.org)
• Getting Ready for the 2024 IECC: The Requirements Proposed for Residential Buildings

Massachusetts:

• 225 CMR 22.00: Massachusetts Stretch code and specialized code for low-rise residential — 2023 residential low-rise amendments to IECC2021 and IRC 2021 chapter 11: energy efficiency
• Cambridge Article 22 Green Building Requirements
• Boston Article 37 Green Building and Climate Resiliency Guidelines

Episode Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by SWA Academy!

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Send your feedback and questions to [e-mail].

About Buildings and Beyond

Buildings and Beyond is the podcast that explores how we can create a more sustainable built environment by focusing on efficiency, accessibility, and health.

Buildings and Beyond is a production of Steven Winter Associates. We provide energy, green building, and accessibility consulting services to improve the built environment. For more information, visit swinter.com.

Hosts: Robb Aldrich | Kelly Westby

Production Team: Heather Breslin | Alex Mirabile | Dylan Martello | Tricia Carr

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