Illinois General Assembly - -

(20 ILCS 3125/1)

Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Energy Efficient Building Act.

(Source: P.A. 96-778, eff. 8-28-09.)

(20 ILCS 3125/5)

Sec. 5. Findings.

(a) The legislature finds that an effective energy efficient building code is essential to:

(1) reduce the air pollutant emissions from energy

consumption that are affecting the health of residents of this State;

(2) moderate future peak electric power demand;

(3) assure the reliability of the electrical grid and

an adequate supply of heating oil and natural gas; and

(4) control energy costs for residents and businesses

in this State.

(b) The legislature further finds that this State has a number of different climate types, all of which require energy for both cooling and heating, and that there are many cost-effective measures that can reduce peak energy use and reduce cooling, heating, lighting, and other energy costs in buildings.

(Source: P.A. 96-778, eff. 8-28-09.)

(20 ILCS 3125/10)

Sec. 10. Definitions.

"Agency" means the Environmental Protection Agency.

"Board" means the Capital Development Board.

"Building" includes both residential buildings and commercial buildings.

"Code" means the latest published edition of the International Code Council's International Energy Conservation Code as adopted by the Board, including any published supplements adopted by the Board and any amendments and adaptations to the Code that are made by the Board.

"Commercial building" means any building except a building that is a residential building, as defined in this Section.

"Municipality" means any city, village, or incorporated town.

"Residential building" means (i) a detached one-family or 2-family dwelling or (ii) any building that is 3 stories or less in height above grade that contains multiple dwelling units, in which the occupants reside on a primarily permanent basis, such as a townhouse, a row house, an apartment house, a convent, a monastery, a rectory, a fraternity or sorority house, a dormitory, and a rooming house; provided, however, that when applied to a building located within the boundaries of a municipality having a population of 1,000,000 or more, the term "residential building" means a building containing one or more dwelling units, not exceeding 4 stories above grade, where occupants are primarily permanent.

"Site energy index" means a scalar published by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratories representing the ratio of the site energy performance of an evaluated code compared to the site energy performance of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code. A "site energy index" includes only conservation measures and excludes net energy credit for any on-site or off-site energy production.

(Source: P.A. 101-144, eff. 7-26-19; 102-444, eff. 8-20-21; 102-662, eff. 9-15-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)

(20 ILCS 3125/15)

Sec. 15. Energy Efficient Building Code. The Board, in consultation with the Agency, shall adopt the Code as minimum requirements for commercial buildings, applying to the construction of, renovations to, and additions to all commercial buildings in the State. The Board, in consultation with the Agency, shall also adopt the Code as the minimum and maximum requirements for residential buildings, applying to the construction of, renovations to, and additions to all residential buildings in the State, except as provided for in Section 45 of this Act. The Board may appropriately adapt the International Energy Conservation Code to apply to the particular economy, population distribution, geography, and climate of the State and construction therein, consistent with the public policy objectives of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 102-444, eff. 8-20-21; 102-662, eff. 9-15-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)

(20 ILCS 3125/20)

Sec. 20. Applicability.

(a) The Board shall review and adopt the Code within one year after its publication. The Code shall take effect within 6 months after it is adopted by the Board, except that, beginning January 1, 2012, the Code adopted in 2012 shall take effect on January 1, 2013. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the Code shall apply to (i) any new building or structure in this State for which a building permit application is received by a municipality or county and (ii) beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, each State facility specified in Section 4.01 of the Capital Development Board Act. In the case of any addition, alteration, renovation, or repair to an existing residential or commercial structure, the Code adopted under this Act applies only to the portions of that structure that are being added, altered, renovated, or repaired. The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly shall in no way invalidate or otherwise affect contracts entered into on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly.

(b) The following buildings shall be exempt from the Code:

(1) Buildings otherwise exempt from the provisions of

a locally adopted building code and buildings that do not contain a conditioned space.

(2) Buildings that do not use either electricity or

fossil fuel for comfort conditioning. For purposes of determining whether this exemption applies, a building will be presumed to be heated by electricity, even in the absence of equipment used for electric comfort heating, whenever the building is provided with electrical service in excess of 100 amps, unless the code enforcement official determines that this electrical service is necessary for purposes other than providing electric comfort heating.

(3) Historic buildings. This exemption shall apply

to those buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places or the Illinois Register of Historic Places, and to those buildings that have been designated as historically significant by a local governing body that is authorized to make such designations.

(4) (Blank).

(5) Other buildings specified as exempt by the

International Energy Conservation Code.

(c) Additions, alterations, renovations, or repairs to an existing building, building system, or portion thereof shall conform to the provisions of the Code as they relate to new construction without requiring the unaltered portion of the existing building or building system to comply with the Code. The following need not comply with the Code, provided that the energy use of the building is not increased: (i) storm windows installed over existing fenestration, (ii) glass-only replacements in an existing sash and frame, (iii) existing ceiling, wall, or floor cavities exposed during construction, provided that these cavities are filled with insulation, and (iv) construction where the existing roof, wall, or floor is not exposed.

(d) A unit of local government that does not regulate energy efficient building standards is not required to adopt, enforce, or administer the Code; however, any energy efficient building standards adopted by a unit of local government must comply with this Act. If a unit of local government does not regulate energy efficient building standards, any construction, renovation, or addition to buildings or structures is subject to the provisions contained in this Act.

(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21.)

(20 ILCS 3125/25)

Sec. 25. Technical assistance.

(a) The Agency shall make available to builders, designers, engineers, and architects implementation materials and training to explain the requirements of the Code and describe methods of compliance acceptable to Code Enforcement Officials.

(b) The materials shall include software tools, simplified prescriptive options, and other materials as appropriate. The simplified materials shall be designed for projects in which a design professional may not be involved.

(c) The Agency shall provide local jurisdictions with technical assistance concerning implementation and enforcement of the Code.

(Source: P.A. 102-444, eff. 8-20-21.)

(20 ILCS 3125/30)

Sec. 30. Enforcement. The Board, in consultation with the Agency, shall determine procedures for compliance with the Code. These procedures may include but need not be limited to certification by a national, State, or local accredited energy conservation program or inspections from private Code-certified inspectors using the Code. For purposes of the Illinois Stretch Energy Code under Section 55, the Board shall allow and encourage, as an alternative compliance mechanism, project certification by a nationally recognized nonprofit certification organization specializing in high-performance passive buildings and offering climate-specific building energy standards that require equal or better energy performance than the Illinois Stretch Energy Code.

(Source: P.A. 102-444, eff. 8-20-21; 102-662, eff. 9-15-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)

(20 ILCS 3125/35)

Sec. 35. Rules. The Board may adopt any rules that are necessary for the furtherance of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-936, eff. 8-13-04.)

(20 ILCS 3125/40)

Sec. 40. Input from interested parties. When developing Code adaptations, rules, and procedures for compliance with the Code, the Capital Development Board shall seek input from representatives from the building trades, design professionals, construction professionals, code administrators, and other interested entities affected. Any board or group that the Capital Development Board seeks input from must include the following:

(i) a representative from a group that represents

environmental justice;

(ii) a representative of a nonprofit or professional

association advocating for the environment;

(iii) an energy-efficiency advocate with technical

expertise in single-family residential buildings;

(iv) an energy-efficiency advocate with technical

expertise in commercial buildings; and

(v) an energy-efficiency advocate with technical

expertise in multifamily buildings, such as an affordable housing developer.

(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21.)

(20 ILCS 3125/45)

Sec. 45. Home rule.

(a) (Blank).

(b) No unit of local government, including any home rule unit, may regulate energy efficient building standards for residential buildings in a manner that is either less or more stringent than the standards established pursuant to this Act; provided, however, that the following entities may regulate energy efficient building standards for residential or commercial buildings in a manner that is more stringent than the provisions contained in this Act: (i) a unit of local government, including a home rule unit, that has, on or before May 15, 2009, adopted or incorporated by reference energy efficient building standards for residential or commercial buildings that are equivalent to or more stringent than the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, (ii) a unit of local government, including a home rule unit, that has, on or before May 15, 2009, provided to the Capital Development Board, as required by Section 10.18 of the Capital Development Board Act, an identification of an energy efficient building code or amendment that is equivalent to or more stringent than the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, (ii-5) a municipality that has adopted the Illinois Stretch Energy Code, and (iii) a municipality with a population of 1,000,000 or more.

(c) No unit of local government, including any home rule unit or unit of local government that is subject to State regulation under the Code as provided in Section 15 of this Act, may hereafter enact any annexation ordinance or resolution, or require or enter into any annexation agreement, that imposes energy efficient building standards for residential or commercial buildings that are either less or more stringent than the energy efficiency standards in effect, at the time of construction, throughout the unit of local government, except for the Illinois Stretch Energy Code.

(d) This Section is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise by home rule units of powers and functions exercised by the State. Nothing in this Section, however, prevents a unit of local government from adopting an energy efficiency code or standards for commercial buildings that are more stringent than the Code under this Act.

(e) A unit of local government requiring the Illinois Stretch Energy Code must do so with the adoption of the Code by its governing body.

(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21.)

(20 ILCS 3125/50)

Sec. 50. Prohibition on grants. No member of an advisory council created as a result of this Act may receive State grants for teaching or administering continuing education concerning any recommendation or rule proposed by the advisory council.

(Source: P.A. 100-263, eff. 8-22-17.)

(20 ILCS 3125/55)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-315)

Sec. 55. Illinois Stretch Energy Code.

(a) The Board, in consultation with the Agency, shall create and adopt the Illinois Stretch Energy Code, to allow municipalities and projects authorized or funded by the Board to achieve more energy efficiency in buildings than the Illinois Energy Conservation Code through a consistent pathway across the State. The Illinois Stretch Energy Code shall be available for adoption by any municipality and shall set minimum energy efficiency requirements, taking the place of the Illinois Energy Conservation Code within any municipality that adopts the Illinois Stretch Energy Code.

(b) The Illinois Stretch Energy Code shall have separate components for commercial and residential buildings, which may be adopted by the municipality jointly or separately.

(c) The Illinois Stretch Energy Code shall apply to all projects to which an energy conservation code is applicable that are authorized or funded in any part by the Board after July 1, 2024.

(d) Development of the Illinois Stretch Energy Code shall be completed and available for adoption by municipalities by June 30, 2024.

(e) Consistent with the requirements under paragraph (2.5) of subsection (g) of Section 8-103B of the Public Utilities Act and under paragraph (2) of subsection (j) of Section 8-104 of the Public Utilities Act, municipalities may adopt the Illinois Stretch Energy Code and may use utility programs to support compliance with the Illinois Stretch Energy Code. The amount of savings from such utility efforts that may be counted toward achievement of their annual savings goals shall be based on reasonable estimates of the increase in savings resulting from the utility efforts, relative to reasonable approximations of what would have occurred absent the utility involvement.

(f) The Illinois Stretch Energy Code's residential components shall:

(1) apply to residential buildings as defined under

Section 10;

(2) set performance targets using a site energy index

with reductions relative to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; and

(3) include stretch energy codes with site energy

index standards and adoption dates as follows: by no later than June 30, 2024, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.50 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; by no later than December 31, 2025, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.40 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, unless the Board identifies unanticipated burdens associated with the stretch energy code adopted in 2023 or 2024, in which case the Board may adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.42 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, provided that the more relaxed standard has a site energy index that is at least 0.05 more restrictive than the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code; by no later than December 31, 2028, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.33 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, unless the Board identifies unanticipated burdens associated with the stretch energy code adopted in 2025, in which case the Board may adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.35 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, but only if that more relaxed standard has a site energy index that is at least 0.05 more restrictive than the 2027 International Energy Conservation Code; and by no later than December 31, 2031, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.25 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code.

(g) The Illinois Stretch Energy Code's commercial components shall:

(1) apply to commercial buildings as defined under

Section 10;

(2) set performance targets using a site energy index

with reductions relative to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; and

(3) include stretch energy codes with site energy

index standards and adoption dates as follows: by no later than June 30, 2024, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.60 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; by no later than December 31, 2025, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.50 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; by no later than December 31, 2028, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.44 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; and by no later than December 31, 2031, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.39 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code.

(h) The process for the creation of the Illinois Stretch Energy Code includes:

(1) within 60 days after the effective date of this

amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the Capital Development Board shall meet with the Illinois Energy Code Advisory Council to advise and provide technical assistance and recommendations to the Capital Development Board for the Illinois Stretch Energy Code, which shall:

(A) advise the Capital Development Board on

creation of interim performance targets, code requirements, and an implementation plan for the Illinois Stretch Energy Code;

(B) recommend amendments to proposed rules issued

by the Capital Development Board;

(C) recommend complementary programs or policies;

(D) complete recommendations and development for

the Illinois Stretch Energy Code elements and requirements by December 31, 2023;

(2) As part of its deliberations, the Illinois Energy

Code Advisory Council shall actively solicit input from other energy code stakeholders and interested parties.

(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21; 103-4, eff. 5-31-23.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-315)

Sec. 55. Illinois Stretch Energy Code.

(a) The Board, in consultation with the Agency, shall create and adopt the Illinois Stretch Energy Code, to allow municipalities and projects authorized or funded by the Board to achieve more energy efficiency in buildings than the Illinois Energy Conservation Code through a consistent pathway across the State. The Illinois Stretch Energy Code shall be available for adoption by any municipality and shall set minimum energy efficiency requirements, taking the place of the Illinois Energy Conservation Code within any municipality that adopts the Illinois Stretch Energy Code.

(b) The Illinois Stretch Energy Code shall have separate components for commercial and residential buildings, which may be adopted by the municipality jointly or separately.

(c) The Illinois Stretch Energy Code shall apply to all projects to which an energy conservation code is applicable that are authorized or funded in any part by the Board after July 1, 2024.

(d) Development of the Illinois Stretch Energy Code shall be completed and available for adoption by municipalities by June 30, 2024.

(e) Consistent with the requirements under paragraph (2.5) of subsection (g) of Section 8-103B of the Public Utilities Act and under paragraph (2) of subsection (j) of Section 8-104 of the Public Utilities Act, municipalities may adopt the Illinois Stretch Energy Code and may use utility programs to support compliance with the Illinois Stretch Energy Code. The amount of savings from such utility efforts that may be counted toward achievement of their annual savings goals shall be based on reasonable estimates of the increase in savings resulting from the utility efforts, relative to reasonable approximations of what would have occurred absent the utility involvement.

(f) The Illinois Stretch Energy Code's residential components shall:

(1) apply to residential buildings as defined under

Section 10;

(2) set performance targets using a site energy index

with reductions relative to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; and

(3) include stretch energy codes with site energy

index standards and adoption dates as follows: by no later than June 30, 2024, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.50 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; by no later than December 31, 2026, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.40 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, unless the Board identifies unanticipated burdens associated with the stretch energy code adopted in 2023 or 2024, in which case the Board may adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.42 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, provided that the more relaxed standard has a site energy index that is at least 0.05 more restrictive than the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code; by no later than December 31, 2029, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.33 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, unless the Board identifies unanticipated burdens associated with the stretch energy code adopted in 2025, in which case the Board may adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.35 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, but only if that more relaxed standard has a site energy index that is at least 0.05 more restrictive than the 2027 International Energy Conservation Code; and by no later than December 31, 2032, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.25 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code.

(g) The Illinois Stretch Energy Code's commercial components shall:

(1) apply to commercial buildings as defined under

Section 10;

(2) set performance targets using a site energy index

with reductions relative to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; and

(3) include stretch energy codes with site energy

index standards and adoption dates as follows: by no later than June 30, 2024, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.60 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; by no later than December 31, 2026, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.50 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; by no later than December 31, 2029, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.44 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code; and by no later than December 31, 2032, the Board shall create and adopt a stretch energy code with a site energy index no greater than 0.39 of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code.

(h) The process for the creation of the Illinois Stretch Energy Code includes:

(1) within 60 days after the effective date of this

amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the Capital Development Board shall meet with the Illinois Energy Code Advisory Council to advise and provide technical assistance and recommendations to the Capital Development Board for the Illinois Stretch Energy Code, which shall:

(A) advise the Capital Development Board on

creation of interim performance targets, code requirements, and an implementation plan for the Illinois Stretch Energy Code;

(B) recommend amendments to proposed rules issued

by the Capital Development Board;

(C) recommend complementary programs or policies;

(D) complete recommendations and development for

the Illinois Stretch Energy Code elements and requirements by December 31, 2023;

(2) As part of its deliberations, the Illinois Energy

Code Advisory Council shall actively solicit input from other energy code stakeholders and interested parties.

(Source: P.A. 103-4, eff. 5-31-23; 104-315, eff. 1-1-26.)

(20 ILCS 3125/99)

Sec. 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.

(Source: P.A. 93-936, eff. 8-13-04.)