Energy Efficiency

The code development process for the 2021 International Codes is in its final stages.

Late last year, local and state officials voted in droves to boost building efficiency in the 2021 update to America’s Model Energy Code – the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) – by 12-17%.

Brief summaries of legislative actions being taken that could impact building codes in Florida, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Washington.

Canada's building codes are revised every five years by the National Research Council, and the next update will be released in 2020.

Insulating layers keep the rain out without compromising air circulation. Below is a new product on the market for residential construction.

The energy savings from net zero passive houses can reduce heating costs by 75% to 90%, and these new dwellings have a much longer life span, writes Passive Design Solutions’ Natalie Leonard.

Barcelona’s Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) has undertaken a project examining the benefits of hydroceramic façades as a means of cooling down buildings in hot countries.

Over the past two years, the International Code Council’s (ICC) family of I-Codes have been undergoing development for the 2021 editions of the International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC), and International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), among others. 

Billions of dollars are spent on building envelope failures annually — a largely preventable problem if building mock-ups — “crash test dummies for building enclosures”— are specified.

The products selected for Building Design+Construction’s annual 101 Top Products report are determined by you, our readers.