This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) represents the second installment in the Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation (RECI) initiative, which maintains the same broad format, flexibility, and crosscutting areas of interest, while emphasizing and prioritizing specific gaps, needs, and opportunities to support building energy codes identified as focal points through the first RECI FOA and continued stakeholder engagement. The FOA will continue to support States, and Tribal and local governments pursuing more efficient building energy codes that save money for American homes and businesses, while maximizing the benefits of the clean energy transition, empowering workers, supporting resilience, and advancing environmental justice. Updated energy codes can have an even larger impact on disadvantaged communities by reducing energy bills and energy burden on households, as well as improving climate resilience to allow occupants to maintain comfort and safety when extreme temperatures coincide with a loss of energy systems.

This FOA seeks applications with project teams ready to advance building energy codes within a particular region, state, or local jurisdiction. To drive sustained improvements, the FOA emphasizes the importance of strategic partnerships, which must include a State or Tribal government agency, and may include other organizations, such as State or local building departments, builders, contractors, architects, engineers, other design and construction professionals, academia, research, trade organizations, consumer advocates, regional or community energy efficiency organizations, labor unions, apprenticeship programs, and other stakeholders who play an important role supporting the successful adoption and implementation of building codes. Funding provided through this FOA is specifically designed to update building energy codes and ensure the cost-effective implementation of these updated codes at the state and local level. The key areas of interest targeted under the current FOA include:

1. State and Local Code Adoption
2. High Impact States and Local Jurisdictions
3. Rural Communities
4. Tribal Governments
5. Workforce Development
6. Implementation and Compliance
7. Innovative Approaches
8. Utility Data and Partnerships
9. Energy, Equity, and Environmental Justice
10. Partnerships

In addition, DOE has identified several key outcomes targeted under the FOA:

• Developing the next-generation workforce
• Facilitating energy code updates
• Improving energy code compliance
• Advancing new and innovative codes approaches and tools
• Increasing equity in codes and planning