The Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) anticipates funding state and local efforts to update building energy codes, or equivalent standards, and to develop effective code workforce, training, compliance and enforcement programs. This Notice of Intent (NOI) describes a preliminary plan that will evolve during the FOA development process.

The IRA made two types of funding available to states and units of local governments with authority to adopt building codes and standards:

• $330 million to adopt the latest building energy code, which are 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for residential buildings and the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1–2019 for commercial buildings or other codes and standards that achieve equivalent or greater energy savings; and
• $670 million to adopt a building energy code that meets or exceeds the zero energy provisions in the 2021 IECC code or other codes and standards with equivalent or greater energy savings.

Funding awards will support states and local jurisdictions in adopting, implementing, and enforcing the latest model, zero energy codes, or equivalent codes and standards, improving residential and commercial new construction and retrofits, and transitioning the building stock to more efficient, decarbonized buildings for all.

Grant recipients must develop an implementation plan that provides approaches to achieve full compliance with the newly adopted code or standard, plans for capacity building to support ongoing implementation, and active workforce training and enforcement programs.