The Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy recently announced the approval of the Southern Nevada Building Officials adoption of the modified version of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The modifications include amending the Section 406 Energy Rating Index Option. This action applies to all the code jurisdictions in southern Nevada. The Southern Nevada Building Officials represents building officials from Clark and Nye counties and the cities of Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The amended version provides a set of target ERI scores through 2033 with corresponding increases in stringency every three years. The target scores include homes without onsite power production and with onsite power production. The following are the target scores that were negotiated by the home builders association and the Southern Nevada Building Officials: The amended code’s backstop is the mandatory requirements of the 2024 IECC with the building thermal envelope requirements and solar heat gain coefficients in Table R402.1.2 or R402.1.4 of the 2024 IECC. The new southern Nevada energy code defines that the Energy Rating Index for the code must: Be based upon the latest adopted version of the ANSI/RESNET/ICC Standard 301 Be entered into the RESNET National Building Registry Be subject to the quality assurance oversight by an EPA or DOE approved Home Certification Organization To download the code amendment go to 2024 Southern Nevada amended Energy Rating Index Option The Southern Nevada Home Builders Association commented that “allowing builders an ERI of 56 still maintains the energy efficiency of the 2024 IECC Energy Code while allowing builders more flexibility in construction costs which keeps the homes more affordable. Builders can project changes to the HERS Index in advance of Code Changes allowing for a smoother transition every 3 – 6 years as adopted by local jurisdictions, thereby encouraging a pathway to more energy efficient homes.” It is expected that the new section in the southern Nevada energy code will spur the demand for HERS ratings and improved energy performance as was witnessed in Texas.
