FAQs from Builders
What is the IECC®?
“The International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC®) is a code book clarifying all of the minimal energy code requirements builders or remodelers need to follow in order to ensure their buildings or homes meet the current minimum energy code requirements in their city/area. The IECC® addresses energy conservation requirements for all aspects of energy uses in both commercial and residential construction, including heating and ventilating, lighting, water heating and power usage for appliances and building systems.” ("IECC® International Energy Conservation Code®")
What is it's purpose?
In a manner similar to the auto industry being required to build more fuel efficient vehicles, the building industry is currently following a similar evolutionary process.
What does this mean for me as a builder?
More and more cities, by law are requiring third party independent IECC® Inspectors to complete plan reviews prior to obtaining permits and complete inspections at various stages of construction. For the builder, this will require additional budget and time management planning.
By working with an IECC® Plan Reviewer/Inspector from the very beginning of the process, you are avoiding costly repercussions at later stages of construction, you are building a better product for your clients, and you are complying with regulations.
You also have a potential marketing tool to help sell your construction processes when competing against builders quoting jobs without obtaining permits. You can offer your customers peace of mind the job will be completed to the minimum energy efficiency code standards. Contractors avoiding inspections and permits, and not complying with required regulations, rather than those working with inspectors cannot make the same statement.
What energy code is my project under?
The current Texas state minimum code is 2015. If someone is in the county and not in a city, that is the code they should be working to meet. For city dwellers or builders inside city limits, it is important to know which year/version of the IECC® your city has adopted. These change constantly and two neighboring cities can have two completely different codes.
Does the IECC® only apply within city limits?
No, in short it applies anywhere in the United States and/or Texas. The International Code Council’s website: http://www.iccsafe.org/gr/Documents/jurisdictionadoptions.pdf allows users to look up which version of the IECC® and other codes are required in most cities and counties nationwide.
Senate Bills, (SB) 5 added, “‘Texas Building Energy Performance Standards’ to the Texas Health and Safety Code, among innovative measures to meet Federal Clean Air Act requirements in Texas.” It also adopted the, “energy-efficiency chapter of the International Code Council’s (ICC) International Residential Code (IRC), … as the energy code in Texas for most single-family homes and townhouses,” Furthermore, it adopted, “the ICC’s International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)… as the energy code for all other residential, commercial, and industrial construction, including single-family homes.” Additionally, SB (365) established, “the IRC as the standard municipal residential building code for the state. Although local amendments are allowed, this legislation is the first major initiative in Texas to create consistent standards for residential construction.” ("Texas Building Code Energy Performance Standards")
These bills are statewide; as mentioned above, cities, may make, “local amendments,” but where they have not, (in counties) the statewide bills/codes still take precedence.
What is the process I need to follow?
Before permits are obtained or any stage of construction begins, it is helpful to contact a certified code official at, Jenergy Inspections, Inc. After the builder/architect/owner sends us the plans and all of the data from our “Items Needed List,” we will complete a plan review, usually within 24 hours or less for a standard REScheck™ or usually within two (2) business days if design factors in the home require us to complete an Ekotrope™ report in lieu of the standard REScheck™. From your plans, we enter in the data necessary to determine whether or not the plans in front of us will produce a product that meets current IECC® standards. If it passes great, if it fails we work with you to let you know what needs to be addressed and offer solutions.
When the plan review is complete, the person applying for a building permit staples our REScheck™/COMcheck™ plan review to the plans, with our letter stating the plans meet current IECC® standards. Regarding meeting the city's energy code requirements, the plans are ready for the city’s permit department.
After the city issues a permit; and construction begins, the builder/owner calls us for a polyseal/envelope inspection, adds insulation and calls us out for an insulation inspection, and when the job is complete, a final inspection. At each step we provide a sticker, check-sheet and/or feedback in an effort to make sure the job will meet code and/or pass a building and duct pressure test at the end of the process. Depending on the city's requirements or the builder's needs, we can complete building and duct pressure testing at the rough in stage or at the end of the project.
When the job and all inspections and/or tests have been satisfactorily completed, we send a form (Certificate of Compliance) to the city stating such, and the project will have completed that requirement towards obtaining a certificate of occupancy. Often times cities require a Certificate of Compliance from an IECC certified Code Official. As a general policy, we do not send Compliance Certificates to cities unless we have been involved with the project from the beginning.
For a simplified guide of when to call us throughout the process, see our "When to Call for Inspections" page.
Have other code questions? Just call us at 713-677-0087!
What is the IECC®?
“The International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC®) is a code book clarifying all of the minimal energy code requirements builders or remodelers need to follow in order to ensure their buildings or homes meet the current minimum energy code requirements in their city/area. The IECC® addresses energy conservation requirements for all aspects of energy uses in both commercial and residential construction, including heating and ventilating, lighting, water heating and power usage for appliances and building systems.” ("IECC® International Energy Conservation Code®")
What is it's purpose?
In a manner similar to the auto industry being required to build more fuel efficient vehicles, the building industry is currently following a similar evolutionary process.
- The code was designed to: decrease energy usage by using more energy efficient building processes and materials to help homeowners save money, downsize negative environmental impacts by reducing wasted energy, and relieving demands on energy companies struggling to meet our current and seemingly ever growing demands.
- The current IECC 's requirements strive to ensure new, and remodeled or altered homes will have better windows and doors, appropriately installed insulation, tightly sealed HVAC ducts and thus, greater energy savings compared to homes built under previous versions.
- The IECC® mandates a higher level of energy efficiency for all new construction, renovations and/or additions. It is constantly being updated every three years. As new materials and techniques are developed, energy efficiency will hopefully continue to improve.
What does this mean for me as a builder?
More and more cities, by law are requiring third party independent IECC® Inspectors to complete plan reviews prior to obtaining permits and complete inspections at various stages of construction. For the builder, this will require additional budget and time management planning.
By working with an IECC® Plan Reviewer/Inspector from the very beginning of the process, you are avoiding costly repercussions at later stages of construction, you are building a better product for your clients, and you are complying with regulations.
You also have a potential marketing tool to help sell your construction processes when competing against builders quoting jobs without obtaining permits. You can offer your customers peace of mind the job will be completed to the minimum energy efficiency code standards. Contractors avoiding inspections and permits, and not complying with required regulations, rather than those working with inspectors cannot make the same statement.
What energy code is my project under?
The current Texas state minimum code is 2015. If someone is in the county and not in a city, that is the code they should be working to meet. For city dwellers or builders inside city limits, it is important to know which year/version of the IECC® your city has adopted. These change constantly and two neighboring cities can have two completely different codes.
Does the IECC® only apply within city limits?
No, in short it applies anywhere in the United States and/or Texas. The International Code Council’s website: http://www.iccsafe.org/gr/Documents/jurisdictionadoptions.pdf allows users to look up which version of the IECC® and other codes are required in most cities and counties nationwide.
Senate Bills, (SB) 5 added, “‘Texas Building Energy Performance Standards’ to the Texas Health and Safety Code, among innovative measures to meet Federal Clean Air Act requirements in Texas.” It also adopted the, “energy-efficiency chapter of the International Code Council’s (ICC) International Residential Code (IRC), … as the energy code in Texas for most single-family homes and townhouses,” Furthermore, it adopted, “the ICC’s International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)… as the energy code for all other residential, commercial, and industrial construction, including single-family homes.” Additionally, SB (365) established, “the IRC as the standard municipal residential building code for the state. Although local amendments are allowed, this legislation is the first major initiative in Texas to create consistent standards for residential construction.” ("Texas Building Code Energy Performance Standards")
These bills are statewide; as mentioned above, cities, may make, “local amendments,” but where they have not, (in counties) the statewide bills/codes still take precedence.
What is the process I need to follow?
Before permits are obtained or any stage of construction begins, it is helpful to contact a certified code official at, Jenergy Inspections, Inc. After the builder/architect/owner sends us the plans and all of the data from our “Items Needed List,” we will complete a plan review, usually within 24 hours or less for a standard REScheck™ or usually within two (2) business days if design factors in the home require us to complete an Ekotrope™ report in lieu of the standard REScheck™. From your plans, we enter in the data necessary to determine whether or not the plans in front of us will produce a product that meets current IECC® standards. If it passes great, if it fails we work with you to let you know what needs to be addressed and offer solutions.
When the plan review is complete, the person applying for a building permit staples our REScheck™/COMcheck™ plan review to the plans, with our letter stating the plans meet current IECC® standards. Regarding meeting the city's energy code requirements, the plans are ready for the city’s permit department.
After the city issues a permit; and construction begins, the builder/owner calls us for a polyseal/envelope inspection, adds insulation and calls us out for an insulation inspection, and when the job is complete, a final inspection. At each step we provide a sticker, check-sheet and/or feedback in an effort to make sure the job will meet code and/or pass a building and duct pressure test at the end of the process. Depending on the city's requirements or the builder's needs, we can complete building and duct pressure testing at the rough in stage or at the end of the project.
When the job and all inspections and/or tests have been satisfactorily completed, we send a form (Certificate of Compliance) to the city stating such, and the project will have completed that requirement towards obtaining a certificate of occupancy. Often times cities require a Certificate of Compliance from an IECC certified Code Official. As a general policy, we do not send Compliance Certificates to cities unless we have been involved with the project from the beginning.
For a simplified guide of when to call us throughout the process, see our "When to Call for Inspections" page.
Have other code questions? Just call us at 713-677-0087!