The type of buildings NEEP would like builders to transition to by progressively tightening energy code requirements over the next 20 years.
What is zero net energy.
100
The test used to determine a building's air leakage (i.e. the "tightness" of the building)...
What is a blower door test.
100
An easy way to display a building's tested energy use for potential buyers.
What is an energy label.
100
The first state in NEEP's region to adopt a stretch code.
What is Massachusetts.
100
The legislation that created, among other things, the Massachusetts stretch code.
What is the Green Communities Act.
200
The amount of time between every ICC code update cycle.
What is three years.
200
A type of professional whose expertise can increase energy code compliance and allow code officials to concentrate on life/safety issues.
What is a third party energy specialist (energy auditor).
200
A rating of the energy performance of a building based on the thermal envelope and mechanical/electrical systems, irrespective of tenant behavior.
What is a building asset rating.
200
The only state in NEEP's region without a statewide energy code.
What is Maine.
200
The percentage of the nation's energy used by buildings (+/- 5%).
What is 41%.
300
An appendix to an energy code that provides a statewide standard for local jurisdictions wishing to adopt a code above the baseline energy code.
What is stretch code.
300
Arguably, the largest barrier to properly assessing building energy code compliance.
What is lack of training/funding and/or education/awareness on the importance of energy codes.
300
The most common residential building rating system.
What is HERS.
300
The first state in NEEP's region where attributed energy savings from efficiency programs can be claimed by the Utility PA.
What is Rhode Island.
300
A commercial overlay code used in Washington, D.C. and Rhode Island that considers water, land, and resource use, etc. in addition to energy.
What is the International Green Construction Code (IgCC).
400
The two model building energy codes.
What is the IECC and ASHRAE 90 (90.1 and 90.2)
400
The first step for a state to determine its energy code compliance rate.
What is a baseline study.
400
The most common commercial building energy benchmarking tool.
What is Energy Star Portfolio Manager.
400
Two of the cities in NEEP's region with building energy rating and disclosure ordinances.
What is Boston/Philadelphia/New York/Washington, D.C./Burlington, VT.
400
Rather than prescriptive, these type of codes are expressed in terms of “percent better than” energy use in comparison to the baseline energy use of a building.
What are performance-based codes?
500
The approximate energy savings of the 2012 model code over the 2006 baseline.
What is 25-30%
500
The process that confirms, with documentation, that building systems are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained in accordance with their design requirements.
What is commissioning.
500
The name of DOE's residential energy rating system.
What is Home Energy Score.
500
One of the states in NEEP's region with a Code Collaborative (a diverse group of building energy stakeholders and experts committed to advancing codes work in their state).
What is Delaware/New Hampshire/Pennsylvania/(Rhode Island).
500
The software tools developed through the DOE's Building Energy Codes Program (BECP) which have a strong correlation with higher compliance rates.