This is the second blog in a new monthly series on Green Building Advisor titled Understanding the Energy Code. You can find the author’s introduction here. 

The code development process spans a multiyear cycle where a wide variety of stakeholders and interested parties come together to hear code change proposals that can be submitted by anyone. The process includes debating the submitted proposals and voting on the proposals that are finally approved to be incorporated into the base code. The development begins shortly after the previous version of the code has been published and ends three years later with the newly published version. This is why we call each code by the year it was published—2018 IECC, 2021 IECC, 2024 IECC, etc., designating the three-year cycle. We are currently in the 2027 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) development process, which, interestingly enough, began before any jurisdictions adopted or in some cases even had seen the 2024 IECC.

Traditionally the code development process involves code hearings. Proposals can be made to modify any section of code or can be used to develop completely new sections. All proposals must include a reason statement as well as a cost statement. After a proponent develops a code change proposal, their best chance for success in getting it approved is to attend the code hearings in person, introducing the proposal and then speaking directly to its merits. Code hearings generally take place over the course of 10 to 14 days, sometimes lasting 16 hours, depending on how fast the process of hearing each proposal takes.

The committee action hearing kicks it off

The first hearing is called the committee action hearing. This is where the proponent of a proposal has 2 minutes to speak to the merits…