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United States Department of Energy

Building Energy Codes Program (BECP) Activities Framework

This is a draft document intended to summarize the types of activities which can or will be undertaken by BECP. The

program is seeking comments on the contents of this document. After comments are received a final version

incorporating appropriate input will be created and posted on energycodes.gov. Information about how to submit

comments can be found at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR‐2014‐04‐11/pdf/2014‐08216.pdf

Vision   

A United States in which buildings use the minimum amount of energy required for occupant activities and comfort.

Mission

Support the building energy code and standard development, adoption, implementation and enforcement processes to

achieve the maximum practicable improvements in building energy efficiency1

.  

Strategies

BECP may engage in any or all of the following, as appropriate. BECP strives to always take an objective perspective,

basing its activities and recommendations on publicly available analyses whenever possible. BECP activities are intended

to catalyze larger change in the market; it recognizes that it does not have sufficient resources to provide everything

needed to achieve its mission.

Empower BECP and others who seek to improve energy codes by:

 Conducting and disseminating research, technical and economic analyses, and related data

 Creating, updating and maintaining tools and materials

 Developing code change proposals

 Establishing the value of energy codes among all stakeholders, including consumers

Establish a leadership position and encourage sharing of information by convening forums for discussing:

 State and local government activities to adopt and enforce energy codes

 Technical and economic analysis methodologies

 Best practices on adoption and compliance and supporting resources

 Code development proposals

 The future evolution of all aspects of energy codes

Participate in processes and forums in which:

 Energy codes are developed, discussed or approved

 BECP can provide information of benefit to others in advancing energy codes

 BECP can learn things beneficial to achieving its mission

Ensure intended energy savings by:   

 Supporting state and national education, training and outreach activities, including tools and support

materials, intended to increase compliance rates  

 Creating methodologies to measure compliance and associated savings and provide scientifically defensible

results

 Conducting compliance and energy savings measurement studies

																																																								

1	Per	USC	§6831(b)(2)	and	(3).	
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BECP will always prioritize its activities to maximize its impact given available budget and resources. This means it may

not undertake some activities even when they would benefit the program and mission.

BECP does NOT:   

 Support activities that weaken energy codes or otherwise conflict with its mission to improve energy codes. 

 Undertake initiatives which conflict with federal regulatory activities. 

 Provide analysis for third-party proposals except at BECP’s discretion when doing so directly supports BECP’s 

own program goals.