PSD has extensive experience providing energy code support services including training, education, outreach, technical assistance, compliance studies, and code development. Our approach focuses on helping code officials, builders, designers, and energy professionals understand the energy code while providing practical solutions to enforcement and compliance challenges. PSD can also provide expert analysis and technical assistance to help policymakers achieve their decarbonization, cost-effectiveness, resilience, and equity goals.
Energy Codes
Moving Energy Codes Forward
Level Up Through Outreach & Education
Energy Codes Services
Adoption Support for States and Local Jurisdictions:
- Energy savings potential and cost-effectiveness studies for updated energy codes
- Education and resources for state agencies, local jurisdictions, and policymakers
Workforce Development
- Training for new and experienced construction trades and building code officials
- Curriculum development for career and technical centers and trade schools
Implementation and Compliance Support
- Energy code compliance studies
- Energy code implementation, support, and engagement plans
- Mobile inspection and data collection tools
- Checklists, field guides, and process improvement tools
- Coordination and moderation of compliance collaboratives
- Traveling ”circuit riders” to meet stakeholders where they are
- Maximizing impact with train the trainer programs
Development, Adoption, and Implementation Support for Innovative Policies
- Education, analysis, and implementation support for Building Performance Standards
- (BPS) and green zoning ordinances
- Stretch code development and analysis
- Remote virtual inspections (RVI) best practices and training
- Development of performance-based codes
Energy Code Qualifications
Training, Tools, and Technical Assistance
NYSERDA Energy Codes Training: PSD has been delivering energy code training covering the 2020 New York State Energy Conservation Construction Code and the NYStretch Energy Code, including residential, multifamily, and commercial sectors. PSD has trained over 25,000 code officials, builders, and design professionals.
Pennsylvania DEP Energy Code Training Program: Every year since 2015, PSD has supplied classroom and webinar-based training, as well as circuit-rider visits, throughout the state of Pennsylvania. PSD has been administering more than 15 events per year under this program.
DNREC Codes Transition Training: In mid-2020, Delaware adopted the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code and the ASHRAE 90.1-2016 Energy Standard. PSD continues to provide training for DNREC.
Efficiency Maine Transition Training: In July of 2021, the state of Maine adopted IECC 2015, an advancement from IECC 2009. The state also adopted more stringent ASHRAE Standards at this time. PSD provided building energy code training services to support this code transition.
Massachusetts Codes & Standards Compliance Support Initiative: PSD has been the lead vendor for the Mass Save® Codes and Standards Compliance and Support (CSCS) Initiative since 2017. We have developed 30 hours of training content, 10 compliance support tools, held over 200 training events and webinars with over 7,200 attendees, received and responded to over 650 hotline/email inquiries, developed two code change proposals, performed direct mailings, and provided technical assistance in statewide boards and committees.
DNREC Energy Codes Reference Guide: PSD created a reference guide highlighting significant changes in the 2021 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2019, relative to the 2018 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2016, respectively. The audience for this reference guide included state code enforcement officials, building sector contractors, installers, and other energy code stakeholders.
City of Philadelphia Energy Code Support: In 2019, PSD was hired by Philadelphia to assist in the first building code transition in eight years, with an energy code update that represented a 15-25% energy savings over the previous iteration.
Workforce Development – Code Officials, Builders, and Energy Professionals
- HERS Rater Training and Providership: PSD is a RESNET-accredited HERS Rater Trainer and HERS QA Provider for raters throughout the country.
- Wisconsin Building Performance Contractor Training Pilot Program: PSD built training and apprenticeship models aimed at BPCs growing the pool of certified HERS Raters in Wisconsin, where half of the current pool of raters (or building performance contractors) are expected to retire by 2025.
Energy Codes Studies
- Consultancy for NYStretch Energy Codes Development & Advancement: In 2021, two of PSD’s staff were selected to be members of a pool for the Stakeholder Advisory and Technical Working Groups for NYStretch Energy Codes Development and Energy Code Advancement.
- Massachusetts DOER Residential Stretch Energy Code Analysis: In 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources contracted PSD to conduct energy and economic analysis to inform the next update of MA Residential Stretch Code requirements.
- GBU Commercial Energy Code Assessment: In 2018, PSD collaborated with Green Building United (GBU) to conduct an energy code study for the City of Philadelphia. Following the study, PSD delivered training on the code.
- US DOE Residential Energy Code Field Study: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contracted PSD and partners to measure residential energy code compliance in the state of Pennsylvania and implement a multi-year program of training, education, and outreach between 2014 and 2018. For more information visit https://www.energycodes.gov/residential-energy-code-field-studies.
We Speak Building
PSD’s leading industry experts translate building science expertise into innovative energy efficiency programs, engineering services, training, & powerful software tools. We have a deep understanding of how buildings work and have been practicing a holistic approach to this challenge for many years.
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