Tennessee Clean Energy Proposal to Include Updated Building Codes
On March 31, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen called on lawmakers to promote energy efficiency in newly constructed homes with a limited statewide residential building code and expand eligibility for federal funds used to "weatherize" existing homes in low-income areas. The building code measure is part of a larger proposal by the state executive to improve the state's clean energy standards.
The Tennessee Clean Energy Future Act of 2009 (companion bills HB 2318 and SB 2300) is a wide-ranging bill tackling several major recommendations by the Governor's energy task force, created in March 2008. Sections 16 to 23 of the governor's proposed amendments to the bills would establish the IRC for new one- and two-family dwellings and the IBC for all other new residential construction. They would also increase state support for building code inspection operations. These provisions would become effective July 1, 2010.
Other elements of Bredesen's proposal include requiring more energy efficiency in state buildings and vehicles and expanding tax incentives for job creation in the green energy field. Tennessee's per capita electricity consumption is among the country's highest.
The state's current residential code was enacted when the state legislature amended Public Chapter No. 907 on May 14, 2008, by establishing the 2003 IECC as the mandatory minimum energy conservation standard for new residential construction on or after January 1, 2009. The law strongly encourages builders to voluntarily adhere to the 2006 IECC standards for residential and commercial construction.
You may read the amendments to HB 2318 and SB 2300 here.
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For more Tennessee code status information, please consult the BCAP Tennessee Code Status page.