Draft Proposal CB-1 

This concept has been developed by the DOE Building Energy Codes Program (BECP) as a possible code

change proposal to the Commercial provisions of the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code

(IECC).   Interested parties are asked to submit any and all comments on DOE's initial concepts and draft

code change proposals. For instructions on submitting comments, visit:

www.energycodes.gov/development/commercial/codes/iecc/concepts/

Compliance Checklist (Resource Appendix A) (CB-1) 

Objective:  Improve/enhance compliance by adding a new resource appendix to the IECC that contains a

checklist, forms, and instructions to facilitate compliance documentation and verification.   

Comment: Note that the checklists in the following proposal are samples from the Building Energy

Codes Program (BECP) and will be replaced with those applicable to the 2012 IECC and expanded to

cover all relevant provisions.  There will be no color tinting or “tiering” as in the BECP checklists; that is,

all items will be treated equally.

Suggested Code Change Proposal

Add a Resource Appendix A as follows:

RESOURCE A

GUIDELINES FOR VERIFYING COMPLIANCE

Introduction

The International Energy Conservation Code – Commercial Provisions is a comprehensive code with the 

goal of addressing all aspects of commercial buildings affecting energy efficiency and the economic and 

environmental consequences associated with energy use. The statement of the code provisions is 

important to achieving any goal associated with energy efficiency. However, if the code cannot be easily 

applied and compliance documented or verified then the energy efficiency and associated economic and 

environmental benefits on paper may not be achieved in practice. This resource document is included 

within the cover of the IECC with the goal of improving the ‘usability’ of the code and enhancing the rate 

of compliance with the code.

Purpose

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide a checklist, with relevant instructions, that will foster the 

development of plans and specifications that comply with the IECC and a review of those plans and 

specifications as well as the actual construction in the field to verify compliance. Use of these guidelines 
assumes a comprehensive understanding of the IECC and key concepts and definitions applicable to those 

provisions.

The checklist is divided into stages corresponding to traditional building inspection stages and also 

contains an introductory section to record relevant information about the building project to which the 

checklist would be applied. 

Building Information

All inputs at the top of the first page of the checklist should be completed. This information should come 

from and correspond with that in the permit application.
Footings and Foundations

Information from the IECC Commercial Provisions that would be assessed as a component of the footing 

and foundations associated with a building are shown below. These include insulation associated with 

basement walls, crawl space walls and slab on grade construction and criteria related to the level, type, 

location, thickness and other factors associated with insulation required on those building thermal 

envelope assemblies as well as insulation applied to duct systems or piping that is buried outside or under 

the structure and not accessible after footings and foundation work is completed. In addition there is a 

component that addresses controls associated with any freeze protection or snow melting systems, which 

are also generally applied during this phase of construction. Note that the IECC section number is listed 

as a reference for the code requirements and the values from the plans and then found in the field are 

provided; completion of which can serve as a checklist for designers and specifiers to document 

compliance or plan review and field inspection staff to verify compliance. Most relevant is a finding of 

consistency between the approved plans and specifications and the values observed in the field.
Framing Rough-in

Information from the IECC Commercial Provisions that would be assessed as a component of framing 

and rough-in associated with a building structure are shown below. These include insulation associated 

with the assemblies that make up the building thermal envelope. This includes criteria related to the 

level, type, location, thickness and other factors associated with insulation required on those building 

thermal envelope assemblies as well as the thermal properties associated with the fenestration to be used 

in the building thermal envelope. Note that the IECC section number is listed as a reference for the code 

requirements and the values from the plans and then found in the field are provided; completion of which 

can serve as a checklist for designers and specifiers to document compliance or plan review and field 

inspection staff to verify compliance. Most relevant is a finding of consistency between the approved 

plans and specifications and the values observed in the field. 
Plumbing rough-in

Information from the IECC Commercial Provisions that would be assessed as a component of plumbing 

rough-in associated with a building are shown below. This includes service hot water piping insulation, 

temperature controls and the availability of automatic controls to shut off circulating pumps and/or heat 

trace. Note that the IECC section number is listed as a reference for the code requirements and then a 

summary of the IECC criteria is provided. The “complies” column can serve as a checklist for designers 

and specifiers to document compliance or plan review and field inspection staff to verify compliance. 

Most relevant is a finding of consistency between the approved plans and specifications and the field 

observations.
Mechanical rough-in

Information from the IECC Commercial Provisions that would be assessed as a component of mechanical 

rough-in associated with a building are shown below. This includes the HVAC equipment, controls, 

dampers, fans and motors, duct systems, fluid piping and a number of other requirements from the code. 

Note that the IECC section number is listed as a reference for the code requirements and then a summary 

of the IECC criteria is provided and where applicable values from the plans and as observed in the field. 

The “complies” column can serve as a checklist for designers and specifiers to document compliance or 

plan review and field inspection staff to verify compliance. Most relevant is a finding of consistency 

between the approved plans and specifications and the field observations.

Electrical rough-in

Information from the IECC Commercial Provisions that would be assessed as a component of electrical 

rough-in associated with a building are shown below. This includes the lighting system (lamps and 

luminaires), controls for the lighting system and electrical metering provisions in multi-family residential 

buildings. Note that the IECC section number is listed as a reference for the code requirements and then a 

summary of the IECC criteria is provided and where applicable values from the plans and as observed in 

the field. The “complies” column can serve as a checklist for designers and specifiers to document 

compliance or plan review and field inspection staff to verify compliance. 
Insulation inspection

Information from the IECC Commercial Provisions that would be assessed as a component of the 

insulation installed in the building thermal envelope are shown. This includes all possible situations 

associated with walls, floors and roof/ceilings (other than as covered in footings and foundations) Note 

that the IECC section number is listed as a reference for the code requirements and then a summary of the 

IECC criteria is provided and where applicable values from the plans and as observed in the field. The 

“complies” column can serve as a checklist for designers and specifiers to document compliance or plan 

review and field inspection staff to verify compliance. 
Final inspection

Information from the IECC Commercial Provisions that would be assessed as a component of final 

inspection associated with a building are shown below. Note that the IECC section number is listed as a 

reference for the code requirements and then a summary of the IECC criteria is provided and where 

applicable values from the plans and as observed in the field. The “complies” column can serve as a 

checklist for designers and specifiers to document compliance or plan review and field inspection staff to 

verify compliance. 
Reason:  The rate of compliance with the commercial provisions of the IECC is important to securing the

energy efficiency associated with the code and can be improved.  One way to accomplish that is to

simplify the provisions in the IECC so they are capable of being more easily understood, implemented,

and enforced.  Coupled with improving the code requirements are code commentary and user manuals

to help explain the intent and application of the code requirements.  Many such support materials are

available from a number of sources.  Work recently conducted by the BECP associated with pilot studies

to assess compliance rates with the IECC resulted in the development of a compliance checklist that can

be used by designers to guide their design and specification efforts to ensure when completed the plans

and specifications are complete and document compliance.  Those checklists can also be used by code

officials to help them in both plan review and construction inspection activities.  The availability of these

materials will enhance the probability that plans and specifications submitted for approval are more

likely to be complete and code compliant.  This coupled with their availability for use by code officials

(plan review and inspection) should make it easier to verify compliance with the code (e.g., enforce the

code) and as such not only increase the level of compliance but save building departments money.  

It is important to note that while the IECC does not currently have any resource appendices, the

precedent for resource appendices exists in the IEBC.  The intent of this code change is to provide this

resource as a voluntary informative document that is NOT adopted as part of the code but instead is

available to those using the IECC.  It is recognized that the exact provisions in this proposed resource

cannot be finalized until the final action hearings on proposed changes to the IECC Commercial

Provisions.  The intent in proposing this resource is to secure approval off the intent of this code change

proposal with sufficient detail to show how it would look in relation to the current IECC and then after

the final action hearings allow ICC staff to ensure the checklist entries correspond to the section

numbers and titles in the 2015 IECC.  

Cost Impact.  This code change will not increase the cost of construction. It enhances the application

and use of the code could reduce indirect costs associated with building design and construction

associated with documenting compliance with the code and verifying compliance during a review of the

construction documents or in the field.