| Building Codes and Standards |
Building Codes and Standards provides education and outreach for residential, commercial and institutional facilities on compliance verification with adopted energy codes in Texas. The goal is to demonstrate the clear benefits of energy efficiency codes with training for new construction, remodeling of existing buildings and additions to existing facilities.
The main target of the training effort is builders, city building officials, state energy managers, architects, and engineers. The Building Codes and Standards initiative includes the administration and maintenance of the Texas Energy Conservation Design Standard for state-funded buildings.
ESL-Texas A&M Energy Code Comparison in Texas
The Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station at the Texas A&M University reviewed and performed technical analyses that compared the stringency of the Texas Building Energy Performance Standards of the Health and Safety Code Section 388, based on the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with the 2001 ICC Supplement to the unamended 2003 IECC and the unamended 2006 IECC. The analysis included the residential chapters and the commercial chapters of the code.
The analysis has determined that:
- The residential provisions and the commercial provisions of the 2003 IECC are as stringent as the Texas Building Energy Performance Standards adopted under the Health and Safety Code Section 388. See the ESL-TAMU IECC 2003 Review.
- The residential provisions of 2006 IECC are less stringent than the Texas Building Energy Performance adopted under the Health and Safety Code Section 388. The commercial provisions of the 2006 IECC are as stringent as the Texas Building Energy Performance Standards adopted under the Health and Safety Code Section 388. See the ESL-TAMU IECC 2006 Review.
HB 3693 and SB 12 Rules
The State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) has published rules on House Bill (HB) 3693 and Senate Bill (SB) 12 for persons who have an interest in the adoption of energy codes to have an opportunity to comment on newly published editions of the International Energy Conservation Code and the International Residential Code. The code manuals can be purchased at the International Code Council web site.
Technical recommendation from Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (PDF)
Texas Design Standard
Texas Healthy Homes
SB 982: Energy Conservation in State Buildings
Residential & Commercial Energy Codes
Residential Energy Code Video & CD Training
Appliance Standards Report
This report, Opportunities for Appliance and Equipment Efficiency Standards in Texas, was prepared for and funded by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). In 2005, the Texas legislature enacted HB 2129, which directed SECO to determine the feasibility and cost-benefit to consumers of setting appliance standards for appliances that are not currently regulated for energy efficiency in this state, if the office determines that the new standards would reduce the emission of air contaminants. The report was been prepared on behalf of the Texas SECO in response to this directive from the legislature.
Cool Roof Technology Report
The Cool Roof Technology Report was prepared and funded by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). SECO is interested in providing practical and affordable ways of increasing the energy efficiency of portable classroom buildings in wide use by public school districts in the State of Texas. These buildings provide a fast, cost effective ways for districts to rapidly expand their capacity; however, due to their nature of construction, they are particularly susceptible to characteristics that waste energy, thus depriving schools of badly needed operations and maintenance dollars. The main objective of SECO is to provide access to technologies that reduce the energy consumption of these structures. This evaluation report was performed by the Brooks Energy and Sustainability Laboratory of the Texas A&M University.
Texas Design Standard
Beginning in January 2007, a new ASHRAE Standard went into effect.
IECC-2003
ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007
Energy Conservation Design Standard for State-Funded Buildings
Recognizing the importance of designing new energy efficient state-owned facilities and major renovations, the 70th Texas Legislature authorized adoption of energy conservation design standards. The Energy Conservation Design Standard for New State Buildings, based on the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.1 and commonly referred to as the "Texas Standard," was developed to respond to this directive. It was first adopted in June 1989 and was revised in May 1990 and February 1993. Standard 90.1 can be purchased at the ASHRAE web site.
Program goals are to set minimum requirements for energy efficient design of new state buildings and major renovation projects so that they may be constructed, operated and maintained in a manner that minimizes the use of energy without constraining the building function or the comfort and productivity of the occupants. Specific goals are:
1. to provide criteria for energy efficient design and describe methods
for determining compliance with the criteria.
2. to provide sound guidance for energy efficient design.
3. to develop procedures to encourage code compliance and improve enforcement.
4. to develop an incentive process and encourage application of the
Texas Standard.
In 2002 the Comptroller of Public Accounts, under the new Chapter 19 of the Texas Administrative Code, Title 34, Part 1, adopted Rule §19.34, concerning submission of certification and compliance documentation for the energy design standard for state buildings and facilities.
The State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) adopted by reference the energy conservation design standard of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2001. SECO also adopted by reference the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) of the International Code Council (ICC), including the 2001 ICC Supplement, for low-rise residential state-owned buildings.
Texas Design Standard Compliance Forms
Following adopted Rule §19.34, before beginning construction of a new state building or major renovation project, a state agency or an institution of higher education shall submit to SECO a copy of the certification by the design architect or engineer that verifies to the agency or institution that the construction or renovation complies with the standards that are established under this rule, including engineering documentation.
Routine maintenance and operational change out of material and equipment, where no engineering or architectural design assignment is necessary, are exempt of the submission of the compliance certification.
Please mail the completed compliance form including the verification documentation to: State Energy Conservation Office 111 E. 17th Street Room 1114 Austin Texas 78701, Attention: Felix A. Lopez, P.E., Senior Engineer.
Texas Design Standard Compliance Form for Nonresidential Buildings
Texas Design Standard Compliance Form for Residential Buildings
Texas Healthy Homes
SECO's Texas Healthy Homes (THH) is designed to provide education and outreach to the building community in Texas for construction practices that go beyond the residential energy code. Texas Healthy Homes differs from the training on the minimum requirements for compliance with the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) in that it provides education on building science technology for residential construction that can achieve 30 to 50 percent less energy than conventional homes. The training is oriented to a high performance house construction. The characteristics of a high performance house are: very tight construction, carefully insulated, mechanical ventilation, good indoor air quality, reduced moisture problems, high comfort levels, durable and low maintenance, low energy use, and affordable to own. The main goal of the program is to reduce construction cost, lower homeowner's energy bills, and reduce callbacks and warranty claims for builders. It is a win-win situation in the residential construction industry.
SB 982: Energy Conservation in State Buildings
In 2005, the 79th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 982 (SB 982), which changed the processes and design standards involved in the approval of construction plans for certain state buildings, such as certification and project analysis. The bill requires design architects or engineers of new state buildings to certify that the construction or renovation complies with the alternative energy and energy-efficient architectural and engineering design evaluation requirements before they begin the construction or renovation.
SB 982 mandates that the Texas Comptroller's State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), or its successor, must approve any methodology or electronic software used by the commission or governing body, or an entity contracting with the commission or governing body, to make a comparison or determine feasibility under this subsection. In compliance with this mandate, SECO will accept the use of the RETScreen software to allow agencies to meet this legislation.
RETScreen International Clean Energy Project Analysis Software
RETScreen Software is an innovative and unique energy awareness, decision support and capacity building tool, has been developed to address this important deployment barrier. The core of the tool consists of a standardized and integrated project analysis software which can be used world-wide to evaluate the energy production, life-cycle costs and greenhouse gas emission reductions for various types of proposed energy efficient and renewable energy technologies compared to conventional energy projects.
In addition to the software, the tool includes product, cost and international weather databases; an online manual; a case study based college/university-level training course and electronic textbook; and an Internet-based Marketplace. All of these are available free, in both English and French, at this Website. In addition, the recently released RETScreen Cogeneration Heat & Power (CHP) Project Analysis Model is also available in 19 more languages, together with several modules of the training course. For those with limited or no Internet access, all the materials are also available on CD-ROM. For additional information, see this RETScreen Software flyer.
Residential and Commercial Energy Codes
With the passage of Senate Bill 5 (SB5) and Senate Bill 365 (SB 365), the 77th Texas Legislature established uniform residential building and energy codes, including the 2000 International Residential Code (IRC) and the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), across the state. The code manuals can be purchased at the International Code Council web site.
The energy codes are new to most Texas builders, city building officials, community development corporations, affordable housing providers, architects, engineers and homeowners. It is essential that this new code be taken seriously and that all jurisdictions be given adequate information regarding the code and how to best meet its provisions.
SECO, through Special Projects Grants from the U.S. Department of Energy, and oil-overcharged funds in cooperation with the Texas Association of Builders (TAB), and the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) of the Texas A&M University is conducting a series of energy code training in various cities throughout the state of Texas to help disseminate the needed information for compliance with the energy segments of these codes. These workshops will be announced on our SECO Events web page as scheduled.
Residential Energy Code and Building Science Video Training
Energy Savings Training for Texas Colonias
SECO, in partnership with the Texas A&M International University in Laredo, is promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy in the Laredo area and surrounding "Colonias" communities in English and Spanish. The training sessions provide tips on how to save energy on residential and commercial buildings. A total of 15 training sessions with 167 attendees were provided in 2006.
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