[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 21, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20833-20834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9152]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

[Docket No. EERE-2010-BT-BC-0012]


Building Energy Codes

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Request for Information.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is soliciting information 
on how it can better assist the states to adopt, implement, enforce, 
and assess compliance with the current model building energy codes or 
their equivalent. DOE is interested in better understanding the 
barriers and issues involved and the needs, resources, materials and 
other technical assistance required to accomplish the goal of increased 
adoption and compliance with the latest model building energy codes, 
Standard 90.1-2007, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise 
Residential Buildings (or equivalent), for commercial buildings and the 
2009 International Energy Conservation Code (or equivalent) for low-
rise residential buildings.
    DOE is publishing this request for information to allow interested 
parties to provide suggestions, comments, and other information. This 
notice identifies several areas in which DOE is particularly interested 
in receiving information; however, any input and suggestions considered 
relevant to the topic are welcome.

DATES: Written comments and information are requested by May 21, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may submit comments in writing, 
identified by docket number EERE-2010-BT-BC-0012, by any of the 
following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include EERE-
2010-BT-BC-0012 in the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, Building Energy Codes, 
1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Phone (202) 
586-2945. Please submit one signed paper original.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Building Technologies Program, 6th Floor, 950 L'Enfant 
Plaza, SW., Washington, DC 20024. Phone: (202) 586-2945. Please submit 
one signed paper original.
     Internet: http://www.energycodes.gov/HelpUpdateStateCodes. 
Please use the input form and complete all required fields.
     Instructions: All submissions received must include the 
agency name and docket number.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents, or 
comments received, visit the U.S. Department of Energy, Resource Room 
of the Building Technologies Program, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Suite 
600, Washington, DC 20024, (202) 586-2945, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Please call Ms. Brenda 
Edwards at the above telephone number for additional information 
regarding visiting the Resource Room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margo Appel or Jean Boulin, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 
Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, 1000 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Ms. Appel (202) 586-9495, e-
mail: [email protected] or Mr. Boulin (202) 586-9870, e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Christopher Calamita, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the 
General Counsel, Forrestal Building, Mailstop GC-71, 1000 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, Telephone: (202) 586-1777, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority and Background

    Any strategy to realize the goal of the President and the Secretary 
of Energy (Secretary)--to achieve 83-percent reductions in energy use 
by the year 2050--must address the energy performance of the buildings 
sector. Increases in stringency to building energy codes, along with 
increased adoption by states and localities and paired with rigorous 
compliance verification, can provide significant reductions in building 
energy use. This is consistent with section 304(d) and (e) of the 
Energy Conservation and Production Act which requires DOE to provide 
technical and financial assistance to states. (42 U.S.C. 6833(d) and 
(e))
    A number of states are in the process of, or planning to, update, 
implement, and enforce their building energy codes. Further, many 
states will implement plans to assess and improve compliance with their 
updated codes, in response to assurances received by their governors in 
response to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 
111-5), of which the Secretary was notified. This presents a unique 
opportunity to increase current efforts to ensure that states, 
municipalities, and local governments, are able to adopt the latest 
energy codes and increase compliance rates.
    In view of the above, DOE believes it is important to provide 
interested parties with an opportunity to submit information they feel 
will assist DOE in compiling information.

Public Participation

A. Submission of Information

    DOE will accept information in response to this notice under the 
timeline provided in the DATES section above. Information submitted to 
the Department by e-mail should be provided in WordPerfect, Microsoft 
Word, PDF, or text file format. Those responding should avoid the use 
of special characters or any form of encryption, and wherever possible, 
comments should include the electronic signature of the author. 
Comments submitted to the Department by mail or hand delivery/courier 
should include one signed original paper copy. No telefacsimiles will 
be accepted. Comments submitted in response to this notice will become 
a matter of public record and will be made publicly available.

B. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Information

    DOE is particularly interested in receiving information on the 
following issues/topics:
    (1) Problems, issues, and barriers to the adoption, implementation, 
enforcement, and improved compliance with improved building energy 
codes.
    (2) Training needed for designers, builders, code officials, 
owners, and others to support upgraded codes to meet Standard 90.1-2007 
(or code that achieves equivalent or greater energy savings) for 
commercial buildings and the 2009 IECC (or code that achieves 
equivalent or greater energy savings) for residential buildings. 
Training and assistance needed to develop and implement a plan to 
achieve compliance with upgraded codes by 2017.
    (3) Processes, information, materials and tools necessary to 
upgrade building

[[Page 20834]]

codes to meet Standard 90.1-2007, Energy Standard for Buildings Except 
Low-Rise Residential Buildings (or equivalent) for commercial buildings 
and the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (or equivalent) for 
residential buildings. Information, materials, and tools necessary to 
develop and implement a plan to achieve 90-percent compliance with 
upgraded codes by 2017.
    (4) Assistance and resources available from stakeholders, states, 
local jurisdictions, and others.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 9, 2010.
Cathy Zoi,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2010-9152 Filed 4-20-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P