SUBJECT:
nerTitle
Discussion - Proposed Energy Code Updates
Department
DEPARTMENT: Planning & Development
Presenter
PRESENTER(S): Joel Champagne, Deputy Building Official
Sarah Nurmela, AICP, Planning & Development Director
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Time
TIME ESTIMATE: 30 minutes
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For time estimate: please put 0 for Consent items.
Fiscal
FISCAL SUMMARY:
N/A
Policy
POLICY ISSUES:
The Town of Erie’s Sustainability Plan and Comprehensive Plan encourage adoption of the latest energy codes to minimize energy consumption and environmental impacts to the community. The Town Council will consider the best path forward for meeting the Plans’ goals in balance with efficient implementation of updated energy codes.
Recommendation
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
This is a discussion item for March 31. Staff take Council feedback and bring back the ordinance for consideration at a later Council meeting. For that later meeting, staff recommends preparing an update to the Town’s energy and fire codes to include adoption of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with amendments in concert with an update to the 2026 National Electric Code (NEC), and 2024 International Fire Code (IFC).
Body
SUMMARY/KEY POINTS
• Staff propose adopting updated energy codes along with targeted strengthening amendments already included in the Town’s 2021 IECC. The proposed update to the Town’s energy code would include the 2024 IECC, 2026 NEC, and 2024 IFC.
• Per State legislation any code adopted on or after July 1, 2026, will require the adoption of the State’s Model Low Energy Carbon Code (MLECC) as the base.
• Town staff recommend adopting the 2024 IECC with amendments prior to July 1, 2026 to ensure continuity with the building community and allow for additional time to plan for implementation of the more complex MLECC or the Metro Cohort Model Code (MCMC).
BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
The Town utilizes the suite of building and energy codes published by the International Code Council (ICC) to regulate the built environment. These codes are updated on a regular basis by the ICC. Municipalities generally update their codes either on a three- or six-year cadence, following updates to the ICC. The Town of Erie aims to update codes similarly, as shown in the chart below.
|
Year Adopted or Planned for Adoption |
2019 |
2023 |
2026 |
2029 |
|
Code Edition |
2015 ICC Building & Energy Codes |
2021 ICC Building & Energy Codes 2023 NEC |
2024 ICC Energy Code & 2026 NEC |
2027 ICC Building & State MLECC |
As shown above, Erie currently utilizes the 2021 International Building Code (IBC), International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and the 2023 National Electric Code (NEC). Colorado State law requires any municipality or county that updates any building code on or after July 1, 2026, to adopt and enforce an energy code that achieves equivalent or better energy and carbon emissions performance than the State’s MLECC. As shown above, Town staff plan to update the Energy and Electrical codes in 2026 to ensure progress towards the Town’s sustainability goals. In order to maintain predictability for builders and administrative efficiency, staff recommend updating the Energy code to the 2024 IECC in advance of July 1, 2026. Town staff would then work towards an implementation plan for future adoption of the MLECC or the MCMC.
Summary of Proposed Code Update
Staff propose an update to the Town’s energy code to the 2024 IECC with strengthening amendments, the electrical code to the 2026 NEC, and fire code to the 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) as recently adopted by the Mountain View Fire Rescue (MVFR). The proposed update would retain the Town’s previously adopted State Electric-Ready and Solar-Ready provisions along with a limited package of local and strengthening amendments that address continued electric-preference, enforceability, and local conditions.
The 2024 IECC represents incremental efficiency improvements over the 2021 edition and emphasizes envelope performance, mechanical efficiency, and lighting improvements without fundamentally restructuring the compliance framework. By comparison, the MLECC and MCMC energy code models described below introduce additional complexity, require new compliance methodologies, and alter enforcement processes.
Alternative Energy Code Options
Staff evaluated alternative adoption pathways, including the State’s MLECC and the MCMC. Both codes are designed to achieve higher greenhouse gas reductions than the 2024 IECC by requiring new development to be electric preferred and encouraging or requiring high-efficiency electric systems for space heating, water heating, and other major building end uses in place of fossil fuel-based equipment. They also include similar levels of energy efficiency as the 2024 IECC, with the primary differences being a more prescriptive, statewide framework with defined electrification and efficiency requirements for the MLECC and a collaborative regional model that provides greater flexibility, including optional pathways and local amendment opportunities for the MCMC.
Both codes also pose a potential cost savings both at construction and over time-with initial construction costs reduced by not installing natural gas infrastructure. With multiple large neighborhoods underway with infrastructure already in, the cost advantages in Erie would more likely be achieved with new developments not yet under construction.
While the Town will ultimately work towards adoption of one of these codes, staff recommend adoption of the 2024 IECC in 2026 because it:
• Provides a familiar compliance structure for builders, designers, and staff;
• Minimizes administrative complexity and enforcement challenges like updating currently approved plans and additional staff training to review and implement;
• Allows use of standard compliance tools like REScheck and COMcheck, which are broadly used by builders and designers to work with the IBCC codes but are not yet available for the State’s MLECC or MCMC; and
• Minimizes construction cost uncertainty for builders due to tiered performance requirements for larger homes and enhanced building envelopes required to meet standards in the MLECC.
Cost and Implementation Considerations
Town Council has expressed concern over the cost of new construction in the Town of Erie and how these costs are passed on to future homebuyers and businesses. Any update to the Town’s energy code could potentially increase costs for builders at time of construction; however, the Department of Energy projects <https://www.regulations.gov/document/EERE-2024-BT-DET-0007-0001> a savings of 6.6% reduction in costs for residential building energy consumption. Additionally, the National Association of Home Builders states that in the Front Range’s climate zone (5) that "many compliance configurations actually show a net cost savings under 2024 IECC vs. 2021 IECC” rather than a cost increase - due to revised prescriptive requirements and more flexible compliance options.
Requested Council Feedback
Staff is targeting adoption in April 2026 to ensure adequate time for public notice, stakeholder engagement, and implementation prior to the statutory date. Staff requests Council’s direction to move forward with the 2024 IECC or to prepare an alternative code update like the MLECC or MCMC. The update will also include the updated electric and fire codes.
priorities
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attachments
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Presentation
2. Colorado Association of Home Builders Letter