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Illinois Officially Adopts 2009 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2007 Statewide

Posted in 2009 IECC, ASHRAE 90.1-2007, Capital Development Board, HB 3987, Illinois, Illinois code, In the News, New Construction and Existing Buildings, Regulatory and Legislative, State and Federal Policy, Public Buildings on February 12, 2010 by Paul Karrer

As directed by legislation approved in August, the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) has officially adopted the Illinois Energy Conservation Code, which became effective January 29. The new statewide code (71 IAC 600) incorporates the 2009 IECC for residential buildings and privately funded commercial buildings and ASHRAE 90.1-2007 for publicly funded commercial buildings (previously, there was not a mandatory residential statewide energy code based on the IECC). An automatic update provision directs the CDB to adopt each subsequent version of the IECC within nine months of its publication, with an effective date three months afterwards.

The legislation also removed local home rule jurisdiction over residential energy standards. Local governments are allowed to adopt more stringent energy codes for commercial buildings (but not less stringent). These jurisdictions also may not adopt residential codes more or less stringent than the state code (however, exemptions to go above the state residential code are made for municipalities that adopted at least the 2006 IECC before May 2009 or have more than 1,000,000 residents). (End of press release)

Affected Entities: Contractors, Builders, Remodelers, Architects, Municipalities, Counties, Educational Institutions, and State Organizations will now need to train, hire or subcontract individual(s) to oversee and/or inspect the application and use of the new, mandatory 2009 IECC (International Energy Conservation Code). Having been pre-qualified by the ICC, RiverBend Green Homes is in a unique position to help fill these needs.

Additionally, should a more stringent energy code be desired, we are also able to offer help with the ICC 700-2008 NGBS (National Green Building Standard), or the IGCC (International Green Construction Code), some of whose doctrines are required for EnergyStar compliance and state or federal rebates.

Our Experience: 30+ years of research and design using High-Performance Green building and Renewable Energy technologies; 10+ years in Real Estate investments, 8 years of licensed Illinois Home Inspections

Credentials: NAHB Certified Green Professional; founding executive board member of the HBA Green Building Council of SW Illinois; International Code Council Certification for 2009 IECC; Illinois Home Inspector’s license # 450.001163; instructor, “Introduction to Green Building”, Lewis & Clark Community College, Godfrey IL