Building Codes Assistance Project

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On September 29, the Texas A&M Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) -- directed by Texas Health & Safety Code - Section 388.00 -- recommended that the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) promulgate rules to update the Texas Building Energy Performance Standards (currently based on the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with the 2001 Supplement) to the 2009 IECC and the energy efficiency provisions (Chapter 11) of the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC). ESL also advised the state to "immediately begin educating, training, and providing technical assistance for building professionals and enforcement officials to enable statewide compliance."

As required by law, the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) published a notice for public comment in the Texas Register on June 5 concerning the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC).  SECO will forward all comments received within 30 days (or by July 5) to the Texas A&M Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL), which will make a recommendation concerning the improvement of energy efficiency in single family residential construction under the 2009 IRC compared to the current code, the 2001 IRC. 

[Updated June 2, 2009]

On March 9, a bill was introduced in the Texas State Legislature that would adopt the energy efficiency provisions of the 2009 IRC for single-family homes and the 2009 IECC for all other residential, commerical, and industrial construction.  These codes would be effective January 1, 2012.

On April 17, a notice for public comments for persons interested in the 2009 IECC was published in the Texas Register. All written comments submitted no later than 30 days following the publication date to the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) will be forwarded to the Energy Systems Laboratory at Texas A&M for a recommendation.

On April 9, 2008, the Dallas City Council unanimously adopted a green construction ordinance which aims to reduce energy and water consumption in all new houses and commercial buildings constructed in the city. The legislation is the product of the city's Green Building Task Force, which was comprised of members of the residential and commercial development sectors and created to develop recommendations for new standards for all new private residential and commercial development in Dallas.

The State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), in cooperation with the Energy Systems Laboratory of the Texas A & M University and the Texas Association of Builders, is funding a series of residential energy code workshops in various cities throughout the state of Texas to help disseminate the needed information about building science technology.

For state-funded commercial/institutional buildings only, SECO is considering the adoption of the new ASHRAE 90.1-2007 by the end of this year. SECO is in the negotiation process to provide training in the new ASHRAE 90.1 before the effective date of the adoption. For state-funded residential buildings only, SECO will continue the adoption of 2003 IECC.

For more information consult theSECO Website.

In 2007, the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) received authority from Texas Legislators (Senate Bill 12 and House Bill 3693 of the 80th Legislature Session-2007) to adopt by rule the latest published edition of the IECC and the IRC, after written recommendations from ESL and publish for public review and comments. The bills took effect on September 1, 2007.