Energy Codes: What is New and Coming Up in the IECC?
Listen to the podcast version here:
The IRC and IECC model codes are always evolving, with some big changes in the 2021 release that many designers and builders (and some code officials) are still getting their heads around. Soon their 2024 update will be released, with more changes. What are these changes and why were they included? What are the options to following the prescriptive options for each building element? Do the changes really make a difference to occupants or the environment? Are there situations where it makes sense to go beyond code minimums?
Robby Schwarz, founder of BUILDTank, Inc. and a frequent presenter on energy codes and similar topics, will be our guest expert.
Announcement: BS and Beer Denver Metro is hosting its first annual Residential Building Science Symposium on January 16-17! We would be sharing this event anyway, but as it happens, Robby is the principal organizer. Don’t miss this chance to connect with other builders, earn ICC & AIA credits, and dive into the latest in building science. Speakers include Robby and other BS+Beer friends including Justin Wilson, Glenn Mathewson and Enrico Bonilauri, and several other industry professionals. The registration fee is a huge bargain.
https://bsandbeerdenvermetro.info/colo-building-symposium
Our guest:
Robby Schwarz – Principal Thinker
Founder of BUILDTank, Inc.
www.buildtankinc.com
Robby has been a champion of home performance for over 25 years, focusing on building performance, applied building science, and system thinking. He is committed to helping industry partners, builders, code jurisdictions, and others understand residential energy, applied building science, systems thinking, home performance and our role in the built environment.
His interest started in 1995, while exploring how to incorporate green building materials into the production building environment. Soon after, Robby founded his first company, BuiltWright, Inc. In 2006, he cofounded EnergyLogic, now the largest energy rating firm of its kind in Colorado. In 2020 he became the principal thinker and founder of BUILDTank, Inc., a pragmatic building think tank specializing in actionable applied building science solutions. When getting his hands dirty doing the work he finds that ideas are stimulated, and innovative change can occur.
Using what he has learned from working on thousands of homes, Robby has helped train and lead the industry. He is actively involved in energy code development, builder and trade training, and educating the next generation of residential energy experts. He has helped Colorado jurisdictions develop and implement their energy codes, presented code language that was successfully adopted at the national ICC® code hearings, and encouraged implementation of the simulated performance path for code compliance. His ability to integrate applied building science and systems thinking with building programs such as Energy Star®, Indoor airPlus®, and DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes® has lead to thousands of certified homes in Colorado.
Robby is a sought-after trainer and routinely presents at RESNET®, EEBA, the ENERGY STAR® Summit, the Colorado Chapter of the IECC®, Colorado Energy Office, and local Home Builders Associations. He also has a popular podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2M8c6vIFahbGsCBl675BAr