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Code Status: Ohio

This page contains information about current energy codes in the state of Ohio. Information for all 50 States is also available. Ohio Code News.

Current State Codes

  • Residential Code: 2003 IECC. REScheck can be used to show compliance. Effective March 31, 2008, Ohio's rules adopting the 2006 IECC for one-, two-, and three-family dwellings have been amended to revert back to the 2003 IECC until further study of the 2006 IECC can be completed.

    A Board of Building Standards public hearing is scheduled for November 7, 2008 to hear public comments on the proposed re-adoption of the 2006 IECC with the additional Ohio prescriptive path. If, after hearing public comments, the board decides to adopt the proposed changes, an effective date of January 1, 2009 is anticipated.

  • Commercial Code: 2006 IECC referencing ASHRAE 90.1-2004, mandatory statewide; can use COMcheck to show compliance.
  • Code Change Cycle: No set schedule. Most recent update effective January 1, 2008.
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Code Adoption & Change Process

Process Type: Regulatory

Code Change Process: Changes to the Ohio Building Code are promulgated by the Board of Building Standards, the primary state agency authorized to protect the public's safety and welfare in building design and construction. Rules proposed by the Board are filed with the Secretary of State, the Legislative Service Commission, and a committee of the General Assembly known as the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) at least 60 days prior to adoption (see Supporting Documents for detailed information).

State Code History: Prior to July 1, 1979, the rules of the Ohio Board of Building Standards were compiled in a document known as the Ohio Building Code. On October 20, 1978, the Board adopted a rule, effective July 1, 1979, repealing most of the existing Ohio Building Code. The resulting collection of model code sections and superseding Ohio provisions, together with the CABO Model Energy Code (MEC), among others, comprised the OBBC.

The 1993 MEC and ASHRAE 90.1-1989 went into effect July 1, 1995. On March 1, 1998, the 1995 MEC was adopted and became effective. On March 1, 2005 the 2003 IECC went into effect. The 2006 IECC went into effect on January 1, 2008.

On March 28, 2008, the Ohio Board of Building Standards (BBS) made a request to the Governor's Office for an executive order to authorize the filing of emergency rules. On March 31, 2008, the Governor signed Executive Order 2008-06S authorizing the BBS to file the emergency rules. BBS filed the emergency rules the same day and therefore, as of March 31, construction documents for all residential 1-, 2-, and 3-family dwelling projects shall meet or exceed the 2003 IECC and the 2005 NEC to comply with the RCO.

Non-residential (Commercial) construction will continue to use the 2006 IECC and the 2008 NEC for compliance throughout this time period; only 1-, 2-, and 3-family dwellings are affected by these emergency rules. The emergency rules do not affect 1-, 2-, and 3-family dwellings for which applications for plan approval were submitted between January 1 and March 31, 2008. Any application for plan approval submitted to the Residential Building Department between January 1 and March 31, 2008 must use the 2006 IECC and the 2008 NEC.

After a review of the 2006 IECC by a specially appointed Ad-Hoc committee consisting of several home builders, staff from the Ohio Energy Office, an energy rater, and staff from the Board of Building Standards, the committee made a recommendation to propose re-adoption of the 2006 IECC with the addition of a unique Ohio prescriptive path that offers another method of compliance for one-, two-, and three-family dwellings. A Board of Building Standards public hearing is scheduled for November 7, 2008 to hear public comments on the proposed re-adoption of the 2006 IECC with the additional Ohio prescriptive path. If, after hearing public comments, the board decides to adopt the proposed changes, an effective date of January 1, 2009 is anticipated.

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Energy Consumption Estimates

The consumption estimates below are derived from the total end use of residential and commercial energy consumption in the United States in 2005, and are not limited to energy consumption based on building code-related factors. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.

  • Residential Sector: 981.4 Trillion BTU
  • Commercial Sector: 709.9 Trillion BTU
  • Total Energy Consumption: 1,691.3 Trillion BTU
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Construction Activity

Residential:

  • Population (2000 US Census)1: 11,353,140
  • Total Housing Units2: 4,875,496
  • 2004 New Housing Units Authorized by Permit (Privately Owned)3:
    • total units: 58,568
    • 1 unit: 49,593
    • 2 units: 1,510
    • 3 and 4 units: 1,835
    • 5+ units: 5,630
    • structures of 5+ units: 537

References:

  1. http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t2/tab01.xls
  2. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/housing/sthuhh1.txt
  3. http://www.census.gov/const/C40/Table2/20k_t2yu200412.txt
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Web Links

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State Energy Code Contacts

Steven Regoli
Architect Project Administrator
Ohio Department of Commerce
Board of Building and Standards
6606 Tussing Road
P.O. Box 4009
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-9009

Tel: (614) 644-2613
Fax: (614) 644-3147
spregoli@com.state.oh.us

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