The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided a historic opportunity to improve the efficiency and resiliency of building energy codes in states and local jurisdictions across the United States. The act has allocated $225 million to “eligible entities to enable the cost-effective and sustained implementation of updated building energy codes” through a five-year competitive grant process. There are priority criteria for funding, which include:
- an established need by an eligible entity
- long-term sustainability of measures and savings
- ability to address equity
- energy and environmental justice
- resiliency priorities
Strategic partnerships
Those awarded these grants must include a competent state agency. Preference will also be given to teams with strategic partnerships, such as a local building code agency, code and standards developers, builder associations, and design and construction professionals. The work teams must tie projects to an updated building energy code. Which includes any code modifications or updates that increase energy efficiency compared to the previously adopted code.
U.S. Department of Energy
Through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Biden-Harris Administration announced $45 million earmarked for the project. This will help states and partner organizations implement updated building energy codes. To help reduce energy bills for U.S. families and businesses. This funding will be the first installment of the 5-year, $225 million program established by President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support building energy code adoption, training, and technical assistance at the state and local levels. Modernizing the nation’s building codes is crucial to spurring the development of more energy-efficient commercial and residential buildings. And it will be an essential component of DOE’s efforts to address the climate crisis. And meet President Biden’s goal of a 100 percent clean electric grid by 2035 and zero net carbon emissions by 2050.
“Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this transformative investment will help more states bring their energy codes into the 21st Century. Putting money back into Americans’ pockets while substantially cutting carbon emissions and tackling the climate crisis,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
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