Buildings Blueprint (2nd Quarter)

By Olivia Begalla, Maggie Kelley Riggins, & Elizabeth Willis

Hello! Welcome to SEEA’s second edition of Buildings Blueprint where we provide updates and resources on buildings and energy codes in the Southeast and U.S. Islands.
Regional News
The EPA has named Atlanta as one of the top five cities for Energy Star certified buildings in 2023. To earn the EPA’s Energy Star certification, the commercial building must be more energy efficient than 75% of similar buildings nationwide. The score is based on several factors such as energy use, hours of operation, and a variety of other operating characteristics. Alongside Atlanta, other southeastern cities including Miami, Charlotte, Orlando, Raleigh, and Tampa have also been named among the top 25. This achievement underscores the leadership of these Southeastern cities in promoting environmental stewardship and sustainable development in the region. Read more details here.
A construction crew in Chamblee, Georgia, has completed the first passive certified house in the state. This house has been officially certified by the Passive House Institute U.S. (PHIUS), which recognizes structures that meet rigorous sustainability standards. With only one other PHIUS-certified house in the entire Southeast United States, located in Virginia, Georgia has become the second state in the region to embrace the future of green, zero-carbon building.
June 1st marked the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicting an above-normal season for 2024. The outlook includes 17 to 25 storms with winds of 39 mph or higher. Of these, 8 to 13 could become hurricanes, including 4 to 7 major hurricanes. This forecast is particularly significant for the Southeast United States, often in the direct path of these storms. The expected severity of this season is prompting scrutiny of a North Carolina law that froze all the state’s building codes until 2031, likely leading to increased insured losses. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers resources for hurricane preparedness, including guidelines for fortifying homes against wind-driven rain.

Congratulations to Maggie Kelley Riggins, SEEA’s Senior Program Manager, for receiving the Early Career Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Energy Codes from the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office! We are proud of Maggie’s impactful work on energy codes, focusing on how they affect people and her innovative contributions that bring the Southeast and US Islands to the national stage.
On April 3, 2024, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released LEED v5 for its first public comment period, providing a detailed look at the next generation of the green building program. USGBC plans to launch LEED v5 in 2025 and will update it on a five-year cycle. The new version introduces prerequisites for carbon, climate resilience, and social equity assessments on every project. Additionally, energy efficiency and carbon emissions credits have been decoupled, removing the previous single, comprehensive credit for these areas. To learn more about new pre-requisites and Special Platinum requirements, read more here.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has awarded over $6.1 million in grants to help cities, utilities, nonprofits, and low-income residents reduce energy costs. Funded by the State Energy Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program, these grants provide financial and technical assistance to improve energy efficiency. Projects include installing energy-efficient lighting, heating, and air systems, as well as weatherizing homes with upgrades like extra insulation, sealing air leaks, repairing HVAC systems, and replacing incandescent bulbs with high-efficiency ones. “These grants will help low-income households make upgrades that will significantly reduce heating and cooling bills,” said Gov. Ivey. Read about the grant recipients here.
Funding
The second round of the IRA funded Assistance for Latest and Zero Building Energy Code Adoption FOA is now open! This funding opportunity aims to support qualifying organizations to adopt the most current national model building energy codes, zero energy codes, and other codes that deliver equivalent or greater energy savings. The initiative includes an innovative approach to decarbonize existing buildings with specific, measurable, and enforceable requirements. Complete Applications for Round 2 are due September 13, 2024. Questions regarding the FOA can be submitted to [email protected].
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the final winning teams in the Collegiate Track of the American-Made Community Energy Innovation Prize. The three winning student-led teams were awarded $100,000 in the IMPACT Phase for demonstrating measurable impacts of clean energy in underserved communities. This initiative is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to build trust and support clean energy transitions in underserved areas. One of the winning teams, the Georgia Tech Zero Energy Collaborations (GTZEC) from Atlanta, GA, represents our Southeast region. They designed sustainable net-zero homes and developed a green workforce in Westside Atlanta.
Collaboration Opportunities
SEEA is seeking proposals for single-family residential building energy code field studies in Louisiana and Georgia. Our goal is to identify gaps between current construction practices and full compliance with each state’s residential energy code.
This vital work will help us develop targeted training and technical assistance, boosting energy efficiency and compliance in both states’ residential construction sectors.
Key Details:
- Indicate intent to bid: [email protected]
- RFP open from July 8th – August 12th, 2024
- Virtual Bidders’ Conference: July 16th, 2-3 PM EST
For more information about the RFP application, click on the links below.
Virtual Bidders’ Conference Registration
The National Energy Codes Collaborative is a nationwide network empowering states and jurisdictions to implement updated building energy codes. Through technical assistance, capacity building programs, and community engagement, this collaborative engages with stakeholders from the local to the national level and working to bridge the gaps between communities and state and local agencies. Click here, to learn more about the Codes Collaborative programs and resources that can support your community’s goals to advance energy codes, reduce environmental impact, and promote equity and workforce development.
After successfully launching six technical advisory groups (TAGs) at the Kickoff meeting in May, the National Energy Codes Collaborative is excited to announce that the first virtual TAG meetings will commence this summer.
The TAGs facilitate topic-based working groups that provide technical assistance to Codes Collaborative members and affiliates between meetings. The end goal is to produce a publicly- available resource aimed at helping states and jurisdictions to effectively and sustainably implement energy codes.
The National Energy Codes Collaborative needs your experience and perspective in these conversations to ensure the resulting resources are as comprehensive, practical, and useful as possible! Sign up to receive updates and don’t miss an opportunity to participate!
Research on Equity and Energy Codes
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is conducting research to understand stakeholder perceptions of factors impacting the equitable adoption, enforcement, and compliance of building energy codes in the United States. As part of this research, PNNL staff will conduct interviews with diverse stakeholders and interest groups to learn how local energy code practices have impacted their communities.
Please fill out this questionnaire if you are interested in participating. If selected, interviews will be conducted over a Teams/Zoom call and will be less than an hour long. Participants will be compensated for their time.
What SEEA Staff is Reading
In April, the U.S. Department of Energy released “Decarbonizing the U.S. Economy by 2050”, a comprehensive strategy to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Notably, the plan places a significant focus on the building sector, acknowledging its substantial role in accounting for 74% of U.S. electricity consumption. The blueprint outlines four strategic objectives crucial for effective decarbonization: Increasing building energy efficiency, accelerating on-site emissions reductions, transforming the grid edge, and minimizing embodied life cycle emissions.
Resources
Enhance your skills with AESP’s premium online courses through FLEX! Delve into demand flexibility, exploring connected water heaters, lighting, HVAC systems, and distributed energy resources such as solar and EVSE. Thanks to the U.S. Department of Energy, this opportunity is free, convenient, and designed for future energy efficiency leaders. We’re proud to be a partner in this initiative, offering access to cutting-edge knowledge and resources.
Events
Inclusive Energy Codes: Bridging the Gap to Achieve Equity and Environmental Justice – July 18, 2024 – DOE BECP Webinar
The DOE Building Energy Codes Program (BECP) offers regular webinars on the third Thursday of every month at 1 pm EST. Continuing Education Credits (AIA and ICC) are offered for a majority of the webinars. Join our Senior Program Manager, Maggie Kelley Riggins on July 18th, 2024, from 1:00-2:30pm ET for an informative session titled, “Inclusive Energy Codes: Bridging the Gap to Achieve Equity and Environmental Justice”. Find more information here.
ACEEE Buildings Summer Study – August 4-9, 2024 – Pacific Grove, California
The 2024 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, hosted by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, will take place this August in California! Summer Study brings together professionals from around the globe to the Asilomar Conference Grounds to collaborate, debate, and advance the technologies, practices, and research necessary to equitably decarbonize the building sector in a manner that addresses the urgency of the climate crisis. This year, the theme is Equity and Climate Action: Time to Deliver, highlighting the immediate need for action that creates equitable climate solutions.
Registration & Hotel Information
Southeast Energy Summit – November 20-22, 2024 – Nashville, TN
Save the date! The annual Southeast Energy Summit brings together the brightest minds in the industry to connect, explore and innovate for a more energy-efficient Southeast. Join us November 20-22, 2024 in Nashville, TN to dive into dynamic discussions, celebrate regional accomplishments, and enjoy fun networking events! More details coming soon!
Publications
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a National Definition of a Zero Emissions Building, which is highly energy-efficient, does not emit greenhouse gases directly from energy use, and is powered solely by clean energy. These standardized and measurable criteria will help the building sector move toward zero emissions and support climate goals in both the public and private sectors. While not a regulatory standard, this definition provides guidance for determining if a building has zero emissions from operational energy use. Future updates may address emissions from building materials, refrigerant impacts, and other considerations.
National Emissions Standards: Unleashing Health & Economic Potential for the Southeast (Justin Brightharp, Senior Program Manager) This brief examines the impact of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new emissions standards for vehicles from 2027 to 2032. The Southeast, with its significant investments in electric vehicle manufacturing, stands to gain economically through job creation and improved public health. Federal incentives further support this transition, promising substantial regional advantages.
SEEA recently re-launched the “Energy Insecurity in the Southeast” StoryMap. This innovative digital resource delves into the complex issue of energy insecurity, which is prevalent in the Southeast. In this region, one in three households experience or have experienced energy insecurity, particularly low-income households and people of color. The new version includes a broader conceptual framework integrating the most recent data while offering insights into the roots of energy insecurity in the Southeast.
Thank you for reading! We hope that you enjoyed the Buildings Blueprint and that this information helps you in your work to increase equitable access to energy in buildings in our region (and beyond!).
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