# Presentation: 000294

## Texas Energy Codes:           SECO and the Legislature Working Together 

- Felix A. Lopez, P.E.
- Senior Engineer
- State Energy Conservation Office
- Comptroller of  Public Accounts
- June 24, 2003

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Overview

- Texas Energy Codes and Standards Experience
- Texas Design Standard
- Residential Energy Codes
- Senate Bill 5
- Senate Bill 365
- SECO: Energy Code Education and Outreach Program
- Summary

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Design Standard

- Chapter 447 of the Texas Government Code
- “The State Energy Conservation Office shall adopt and publish energy conservation design standards, that all new state buildings and major renovation projects of state-supported institutions of higher education, are required to meet.  The office shall define what constitutes a major renovation project under this section and shall review and update the standards biennially”

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Design Standard

- Following the Legislative mandate, SECO contracted with the Center for Energy Studies (CES) of the University of Texas at Austin to develop the Texas Design Standards

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Design Standard

- Based on an adaptation of ASHRAE 90.1-1989 by the CES of UT-Austin
- Adopted on June 1st, 1989
- Revised on May 10, 1990
- Revised on February 1st,1993

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Design Standard

- Following the biennial mandate revision, SECO and UT-CES tried on 1995 and  1997 to update the 1993 version
- Because in 1995 ASHRAE went thru a lot of public comments process without consensus, SECO decided to wait for the revision
- SECO drafted the 1997 version and went thru the public comments process but was not adopted by GSC, the state agency where SECO was assigned

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Design Standard

- The Texas Legislators moved SECO to the Comptroller of Public Accounts on Sept 1, 1999
- New ASHRAE 90.1 adopted in 1999
- SECO adopted by rule ASHRAE 90.1-1999 as the Texas Design Standard and was published for review and comments
- Adopted on August 13, 2002 and took advantage of the 2001 update of ASHRAE 90.1.

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Residential Energy Code

- Following Chapter 447 of the Texas Government Code, SECO adopts the 1993 CABO MEC for state-funded residential buildings on Feb 3, 1995.
- SECO responded to a DOE solicitation in 1995 titled: “Update State and Local Government Building Energy Codes”
- SECO responded with  commercial and residential energy code proposals
- Only the residential part of the proposal was awarded by DOE ($203,254.00)

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Residential Energy Code SECO Proposals to DOE

- DOE Special Projects-1996
- SECO awarded $64,000
- DOE Special Projects-1997
- SECO awarded $74,000
- DOE Special Projects-1999
- SECO awarded $150,000
- DOE Special Projects-2001
- SECO awarded $190,000
- DOE Special Projects-2002
- SECO received $100,000

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Residential Energy Code

- Training based on voluntary adoption of residential energy codes
- Minimum attendance of builders and city building officials
- SECO, using DOE Special Projects funds, provided more than 100 training sessions statewide

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Residential Energy Code

- SECO adopted 2000 IECC for state-funded residential buildings on 2002

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Senate Bill 5

- Driven by environmental concerns by Texas Legislators
- Joint effort between state and federal agencies
- Introduced in the 76th Texas Legislature in 2001

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Senate Bill 5

- Establishes the Texas Emission Reduction Plan (TERP):
- a diesel emission reduction incentive program
- a motor vehicle purchase or lease incentive program
- a new technology research and development program
- an energy efficiency grant program
- building energy performance standards

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Senate Bill 5      Chapter 388

- The energy efficiency chapter of the IRC, as it existed on May 1, 2001, is adopted for single family residential construction.
- The 2000 IECC, as it existed on May 1, 2001, is adopted for all other residential, commercial and industrial construction.
- The 2001 Supplement to the International Codes is adopted by reference of the May 1, 2001 in the bill.
- Adopts by reference ASHRAE 90.1 Std for commercial buildings.

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Senate Bill 5      Chapter 388

- Code Adoption Effective Date: Sep. 1, 2001
- Local Administration and Code Enforcement Procedures in place by Sep. 1, 2002

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Senate Bill 365

- “To protect the public health, safety, and welfare, the IRC, as it existed on May 1, 2001, is adopted as a municipal residential building code in this state”
-  Code Adoption Effective Date: Jan 1, 2002.

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## SECO: Energy Code Education and Outreach Program                

- Texas Design Standard Trainings
- Residential Energy Code Trainings
- Commercial Energy Codes Trainings

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

##  SECO: Energy Code Education and Outreach Program

- Using DOE Special Projects Funds
- Oil-overcharged funds available with the Codes and Standards Program, as approved in the SEP
- Partnership with federal agencies, state agencies, institutions of higher education, and the private sector

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## SECO: Energy Code Education and Outreach

- Main Players
- SECO
- U.S. DOE
- Texas Legislature
- University of Texas
- Texas A&M University
- PNNL
- BCAP
- SLA
- TAB

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Summary

- The State needs a champion at the state energy office to promote energy code adoption.
- The State needs to have a champion at the Legislature to introduce legislation for energy code adoption
- Teamwork between state agencies, federal agencies and the private sector is the key to success

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Texas Energy Codes:     SECO and the Legislature Working Together 

- Questions?

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes

## Thank you!

- Felix A. Lopez, P.E.
- Senior Engineer
- State Energy Conservation Office
- 111 E. 17th. St. LBJ Building Rm. 1114
- Austin, TX 78774
- (512) 463-1080
- _[felix.lopez@cpa.state.tx.us](mailto:felix.lopez@cpa.state.tx.us)_
- www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us.

- 2003 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes