The Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) is hosting a webinar to discuss the current status of building energy codes in the U.S. and examples that demonstrate how energy efficiency program administrators and regulators can integrate energy code support programs into utility energy efficiency portfolio goals.

Moderator: Phyllis Reha, Commissioner, Minnesota PUC

Introduction:  David Farnsworth, Senior Associate
Regulatory Assistance Project

Presenters:

• Allen Lee, Executive Director, Cadmus
• Puja Vohra, Program Strategy Lead, National Grid

Respondents:

• T.J. Poor, Div. of Planning and Energy Resources, Vermont Department of Public Service
• Cliff Majersik, Executive Director, Institute for Market Transformation

Utilities are uniquely positioned to play a key role in developing programs that support and enhance compliance with building energy codes. With increasing regulatory requirements for Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards, utilities must explore new ways of generating savings from energy efficiency programs.  The opportunities from energy codes are significant, and existing utility efforts in California have shown that such savings can be achieved cost-effectively, enabling the utility to implement its energy efficiency portfolio at a lower total cost to ratepayers. Despite this opportunity, few states have legislative or regulatory approval to count rate-payer funded building code compliance enhancement programs toward energy efficiency resource standards or utility energy efficiency programs.

The panel will discuss opportunities for utilities to leverage existing beyond-code or voluntary initiatives or provide technical, institutional, financial, and other resources to help advance building energy code compliance. The webinar will also highlight key developments in states such as Massachusetts and Minnesota that are working to develop an attribution framework for building code related programs.