BUILDING CODES
& ENERGY EFFICIENCY:
FLORIDA
B
uildings account for roughly 40 percent of the
total energy use in the United States and 70
percent of our electricity use, representing a
significant opportunity for energy savings. Energy effi-
ciency—through the adoption and enforcement of
strong building energy codes – is the quickest, cheap-
est, and cleanest way to reduce energy consumption
and achieve a sustainable and prosperous future. For
most states, the first step has been to adopt the U.S.
model energy codes – the 2009 International Energy
Conservation Code (2009 IECC) and ASHRAE
Standard 90.1-2007.
In February 2009, the American Recovery and Rein-
vestment Act (Recovery Act) – the federal stimulus
legislation appropriating funds for a variety of state
initiatives – allocated $3.1 billion for the U.S. Depart-
ment of Energy’s State Energy Program (SEP) to assist
states with building energy efficiency projects. As one
of the requirements to receive this funding, Gov. Char-
lie Crist certified to DOE1 that Florida would imple-
ment energy standards of equal or greater stringency
than the latest national model codes – the 2009 edition
of the IECC and Standard 90.1-2007. Having already
received $63 million2 out of a total $126 million in
SEP funds, Florida has highlighted the state’s best
economic interest by adopting energy standards that
meet or exceed the national model codes.
THE NEED FOR GREATER ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Electricity generation in Florida is among the highest
in the United States. Additionally, Florida’s per capita
residential electricity demand is among the highest
in the country, due in part to high air-conditioning use
during the hot summer months and the widespread use
of electricity for home heating during the winter
months. Natural gas and coal are the dominant fuels for
electricity production, usually accounting for roughly
40 percent and 30 percent of net generation, respec-
tively. Florida also has more petroleum-fired electricity
generation than any other state. With only minor oil
and gas reserves currently being tapped, the state is
heavily dependent on imported energy sources.3
Updated February 25, 2010
The continued improvement of building energy codes
should remain a cornerstone of statewide energy pol-
icy. Florida stands to gain from further advances in
energy efficiency. Lowering local electricity and natu-
ral gas demand would reduce Florida’s energy import
gap, decreasing costs for state consumers and in-
creasing profits for businesses.
OTHER BENEFITS OF BUILDING ENERGY CODES
Florida’s 2009 energy code update made its residential
and commercial efficiency standards closely equiva-
lent to – and in some cases more stringent than – the
2009 IECC4 and Standard 90.1-2007, substantially im-
proving upon the state’s previous residential and com-
mercial codes.
The successful implementation of – and compliance
with – energy efficiency standards like Florida’s also
produces multiple economic and environmental
benefits for the building and utility industries:
New and renovated construction boasting energy
efficiency levels of 30 percent or more over typical
buildings not constructed to meet national model
energy standards
Expansion of the state economy by keeping local
dollars in Florida
Simplified guidelines for builders and designers,
cost-effectiveness optimization, and uniformity
throughout the state
Improved indoor/outdoor air quality and reduced
greenhouse gas emissions from lower demand for
electricity, natural gas, and heating oil
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 FLORIDA: BEYOND THE MODEL ENERGY CODE
An egret in Everglades National Park (Credit—Nat’l Park Service)
T
he Sunshine State’s minimum mandatory en-
ergy standards are codified in Chapter 13 of
the Florida Building Code (FBC). In 2008,
the latest edition of the Florida Energy Code (FEC)
was folded into the 2007 FBC, taking effect in
March 2009.5 The FEC is a completely state-
developed code and is not based on either the IECC
or Standard 90.1. One extensive study estimated that
the FEC substantially exceeds the stringency of the
2006 IECC for most homes and contains a perform-
ance standard more stringent than Standard 90.1-
2007 for most commercial buildings.6
Legislation passed in June 2008 (HB 697) requires
the Florida Building Commission to develop in-
creasingly stringent energy standards during each
three-year code cycle.7 The 2010 FBC must achieve
20 percent energy savings above the 2007 FBC, ulti-
mately leading to a 50 percent improvement by the
2019 FBC.8 The 2010 Florida Energy Code Work-
group is currently developing a code to achieve this
target that is also more consistent with the structure
of the IECC.9
Adoption, however, is only the first step. The state
must also implement its new codes. As another con-
dition of accepting the Recovery Act SEP funds,
states must achieve compliance with these new stan-
dards in 90 percent of new and renovated residential
and commercial building space by 2017.10
** NOTES **
1
US DOE (http://www.energy.gov/media/Crist_Florida.pdf)
2 9
US DOE (http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=190)
3 10
US EIA (http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=FL)
4 11
BCAP (http://bcap-energy.org/node/330)
5 12
BCAP (http://bcap-ocean.org/state-country/florida)
6 13
FSEC (http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-1806.pdf)
7 14
BCAP (http://bcap-energy.org/node/227)
8
FL Bldg. Comm. (http://www.dca.state.fl.us/fbc/commission/FBC_0210/
Additionally, Florida should consider following the
example of other states that are proven leaders in
energy efficiency by continuing to develop and
adopt innovative policies that go beyond the na-
tional model codes.
AUTOMATIC ENERGY CODE STATUTE UPDATES
When states regularly update, improve, and en-
force their energy codes (as HB 697 directs), they
ensure the consistency and continued enhancement
of the benefits of model building practice. Similar
statutes include the Massachusetts Green Communi-
ties Act of 200811 and the Pennsylvania Uniform
Construction Code of 1999.12
UNIFORM VOLUNTARY “STRETCH CODE”
In 2009, Massachusetts approved Appendix 120AA
as an optional amendment to its mandatory state-
wide building energy code.13 The appendix, which
includes both residential and commercial code lan-
guage, is designed to be about 30 percent more
stringent than the 2006 IECC and ASHRAE Stan-
dard 90.1-2004. This optional "stretch code" was
developed in response to the call for improved local
building energy efficiency. Towns and cities may
adopt the appendix as a uniform alternative to the
base energy efficiency requirements of the state
code, easing future transitions to strengthen the
mandatory code.
MANDATORY GREEN BUILDING CODE
In January 2010, California adopted the nation’s
first mandatory green building standards, known
as CALGreen.14 Effective in 2011, the new code
will require all new buildings to reduce indoor water
use by 20 percent and divert 50 percent of construc-
tion waste from landfills. CALGreen also mandates
inspections of energy systems for large nonresiden-
tial buildings and the use of low-pollutant emitting
interior finish materials such as paints, carpet, vinyl
flooring, and particle board.
For more information, please visit www.bcap-ocean.org
Committee_Reports/Energy_Code_Workgroup_Report_1209.pdf)
FEC Workgroup (http://consensus.fsu.edu/FBC/2010-Florida-Energy-Code.html)
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Sec. 410 (2) (c)
BBRS (http://bcap-energy.org/files/MASS_GreenCommunitiesAct_S2768_0.pdf)
PA DLI (http://bcap-energy.org/files/PA_UCC_Act_1999.pdf)
MA BBRS (http://bcap-energy.org/node/418)
CA BSC (http://bcap-ocean.org/news/2010/january/21/california-adopts-nations-first
-mandatory-green-building-standards)
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