Bill Text: TX HB1736 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to building energy efficiency performance standards.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-16 - Effective immediately [HB1736 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB1736-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 1736 |
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relating to building energy efficiency performance standards. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 388.003, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), (b-2), (b-3), (d), and | ||
(i) and adding Subsections (j) and (k) to read as follows: | ||
(a) To achieve energy conservation in single-family | ||
residential construction, the energy efficiency chapter of the | ||
International Residential Code, as it existed on May 1, 2001, is | ||
adopted as the energy code in this state for single-family | ||
residential construction. On September 1, 2016, the energy | ||
efficiency chapter of the International Residential Code, as it | ||
existed on May 1, 2015, is adopted as the energy code in this state | ||
for single-family residential construction. On or after September | ||
1, 2021, the State Energy Conservation Office may adopt and | ||
substitute for that energy code the latest published edition of the | ||
energy efficiency chapter of the International Residential Code, | ||
based on written findings on the stringency of the chapter | ||
submitted by the laboratory under Subsection (b-3). The office: | ||
(1) may not adopt an edition under this subsection | ||
more often than once every six years; and | ||
(2) by rule shall establish an effective date for an | ||
adopted edition that is not earlier than nine months after the date | ||
of adoption. | ||
(b) To achieve energy conservation in all other | ||
residential, commercial, and industrial construction, the | ||
International Energy Conservation Code as it existed on May 1, | ||
2001, is adopted as the energy code for use in this state for all | ||
other residential, commercial, and industrial construction. The | ||
State Energy Conservation Office may adopt and substitute for that | ||
energy code the latest published edition of the International | ||
Energy Conservation Code, based on written findings on the | ||
stringency of the edition submitted by the laboratory under | ||
Subsection (b-3). The office by rule shall establish an effective | ||
date for an adopted edition that is not earlier than nine months | ||
after the date of adoption. | ||
(b-2) The State Energy Conservation Office by rule shall | ||
establish a procedure for persons who have an interest in the | ||
adoption of energy codes under Subsection (a) or (b) [ |
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an opportunity to comment on the codes under consideration. The | ||
office shall consider persons who have an interest in adoption of | ||
those codes to include: | ||
(1) commercial and residential builders, architects, | ||
and engineers; | ||
(2) municipal, county, and other local government | ||
authorities; [ |
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(3) environmental groups; and | ||
(4) manufacturers of building materials and products. | ||
(b-3) The [ |
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(1) submit to the State Energy Conservation Office | ||
written findings on the stringency of the latest published edition | ||
of the International Residential Code energy efficiency provisions | ||
only if the date of the edition allows the office to adopt the | ||
edition under Subsection (a)(1); | ||
(2) submit to the State Energy Conservation Office | ||
written findings on the stringency of the latest published edition | ||
of the International Energy Conservation Code not later than six | ||
months after publication of a new edition; and | ||
(3) in developing the findings, consider the comments | ||
submitted under Subsection (b-2). | ||
(d) A municipality [ |
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adopt local amendments to the International Energy Conservation | ||
Code and the energy efficiency chapter of the International | ||
Residential Code. Notwithstanding the requirements of Subsection | ||
(e), a municipality located in an area defined by Section | ||
388.002(11) or in an affected county may establish procedures to | ||
adopt local amendments to the Energy Rating Index Compliance | ||
Alternative or subsequent alternative compliance path as described | ||
by Subsection (j). | ||
(i) A building certified by a national, state, or local | ||
accredited energy efficiency program and determined by the | ||
laboratory to be in compliance with the energy efficiency | ||
requirements of this section may, at the option of the | ||
municipality, be considered in compliance. The United States | ||
Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Program | ||
certification of energy code equivalency shall be considered in | ||
compliance. The Energy Rating Index Compliance Alternative or | ||
subsequent alternative compliance path as described by Subsection | ||
(j) shall be considered in compliance. | ||
(j) For the purposes of this chapter, the Energy Rating | ||
Index Compliance Alternative or subsequent alternative compliance | ||
path used to measure compliance for single-family residential | ||
construction in an optional compliance path of | ||
the energy | ||
efficiency chapter of the International Residential Code that uses | ||
an energy rating index is as follows: | ||
(1) for climate zone 2, an energy rating index of: | ||
(A) 65 or lower from September 1, 2016, to August | ||
31, 2019; | ||
(B) 63 or lower from September 1, 2019, to August | ||
31, 2022; and | ||
(C) 59 or lower on or after September 1, 2022; | ||
(2) for climate zone 3, an energy rating index of: | ||
(A) 65 or lower from September 1, 2016, to August | ||
31, 2019; | ||
(B) 63 or lower from September 1, 2019, to August | ||
31, 2022; and | ||
(C) 59 or lower on or after September 1, 2022; and | ||
(3) for climate zone 4, an energy rating index of: | ||
(A) 69 or lower from September 1, 2016, to August | ||
31, 2019; | ||
(B) 67 or lower from September 1, 2019, to August | ||
31, 2022; and | ||
(C) 63 or lower on or after September 1, 2022. | ||
(k) This subsection and Subsection (j) expire September 1, | ||
2025. | ||
SECTION 2. The following provisions of the Health and | ||
Safety Code are repealed: | ||
(1) Section 388.003(b-1), as added by Chapter 262 | ||
(S.B. 12), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007; and | ||
(2) Section 388.003(b-1), as added by Chapter 939 | ||
(H.B. 3693), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 1736 was passed by the House on April | ||
30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 123, Nays 16, 1 present, not | ||
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. | ||
No. 1736 on May 22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 111, Nays 18, | ||
3 present, not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 1736 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
amendments, on May 20, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays | ||
1. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |