Southwest Energy Efficiency Project

Information on the 30% Solution

Information on the 30% Solution

SWEEP Fact Sheets for the Southwest

Energy Efficient Codes Coalition

The 30% Solution: Vote for Energy Efficiency!
Brochure for Code Officials
Brochure for Mayors and Elected Officials
Myths and Facts about The 30% Solution
EC-14 (The 30% Solution - proposed code change text)

Energy Efficient Codes Coalition

Overview
What is The 30% Solution?
Supporters
Savings Potential and Cost Effectiveness
Action Steps for Mayors, Elected Officials, and Building Officials

Overview

The International Code Council (ICC) will hold its final action hearings in Minneapolis on September 17-23, 2008. During the final action hearings, members of the ICC will vote on whether to adopt proposed changes into the code. The committee in charge of making recommendations to the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) has approved a number of proposed changes for consideration. The proposals are designed to not only increase energy efficiency, but also to be easy to implement and enforce. Following is a brief description of the code change proposals being considered and SWEEP’s recommendations on how to vote for each proposal.

What is The 30% Solution?

The 30% Solution is an omnibus proposal that will reduce energy consumption in new residential construction by 30 percent nationwide. It is comprised of a single, consolidated proposal (EC-14) and 21 individual proposals. The proposals were designed to be achievable, affordable and to add no substantial additional burdens to code enforcement duties. Homes built to the 30% solution criteria will offer better comfort, durability and performance with lower energy costs than conventional homes.

An efficiency improvement of 30% over the 2006 IECC is achievable through affordable and available measures such as:

Increased wall, ceiling and floor insulation;
Efficient lighting;
Reduced air leakage;
Improved duct efficiency;
More efficient windows;
Insulated hot water systems; and
The elimination of unnecessary trade-offs

Supporters

The 30% Solution is supported by a broad coalition of more than 30 organizations representing Government, Environmental groups, Utilities, Industry and Consumer Advocates, including:

Alliance to Save Energy
American Public Power Association
Architecture 2030
Consumer Federation of America
Edison Electric Institute
Environment Colorado
National Association of State Energy Officials
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
US Conference of Mayors
US Department of Energy
SWEEP

Savings Potential and Cost Effectiveness

The energy and cost savings from The 30% Solution are significant. SWEEP estimates that the proposed improvements would save homeowners more than $500 annually on their energy bills, and that if all states in the Southwest were to adopt the 30% Solution, the net economic savings over the lifetime of the energy efficiency measures would exceed $5 billion. By 2020, the cumulative energy savings to the region would exceed 5,000 GWh of electricity and 30 million decatherms of natural gas.

The 30% Solution is cost effective for homeowners. The proposal employs “state-of-the-shelf” technologies that have been demonstrated to save energy and provide positive cash flow to the homeowner. Builders can also choose to use the performance path option, which already exists in the energy code. Many homebuilders in the Southwest are already building homes that meet or exceed the requirements in EC-14.

Studies by DOE and NREL have shown that going 30% beyond code generates positive financial returns that exceed the cost of the energy improvements. In Greensburg, Kansas NREL found that the “break even point” between cash flow of energy efficiency investments is actually reached when new homes are built to roughly 60% more efficient than today’s model energy code. The NREL analysis found that new homes that are built 30% more efficient than the 2006 IECC produce net annual savings of $512 to the homeowner, calculated as follows:

$211 per year in additional home construction investment cost of $4,000, spread across a 30-year mortgage at 7% (with interest deducted at 28% effective tax rate)
$723 in estimated annual utility bill savings (if energy prices continue to increase, the savings would then be commensurately greater).

Action Steps for Mayors, Elected Officials, and Building Officials

Mayors and Elected Officials

Send a letter (or sign on to a joint letter) to the ICC Supporting the EECC, “The 30% Solution, and the US Conference of Mayors Resolution #54 -

Prior to September 2008:

Identify your voting delegation attending the Final Action Hearing, and
Encourage your code officials and policymakers to attend and support the EECC and "The 30% Solution."

Building Officials

If you have not done so, join the ICC and identify members for your jurisdiction
Attend the ICC Final Action Hearing in Minneapolis, MN, which will run from September 17 through September 23. Discussion of the IECC changes will begin no earlier than September 20, and will be completed by close of business on September 23.

Voting Recommendations

VOTE YES on EC-14 and VOTE to support all of its component proposals as modified by EECC Public Comments.

VOTE NO on any weakening proposals (as opposed by EECC).

A Recommended Sample Ballot will be Provided On the EECC Website Prior to the Hearing.

For More Information

The following web sites provide additional information about the 30% Solution, the ICC Hearings process, and building codes in the Southwest.

© 2002-2008 Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
2260 Baseline Rd. Suite 212, Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 447-0078 fax: (303) 786-8054 info@swenergy.org

Last Updated: 09/12/2008