Building Energy Code

Much of the information presented in this summary is drawn from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program and the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP). For more detailed information about building energy codes, visit the DOE and BCAP websites.

The North Carolina State Building Code Council is responsible for developing all state codes. By statute, the Commissioner of Insurance has general supervision over the administration and enforcement of the North Carolina state building code. Local government units enforce the code through the permit/inspection process for new construction and additions. The North Carolina Department of Insurance is responsible for general supervision of the effort statewide. Local units of government enforce the code through the permit/inspection process for new construction and additions.

Effective January 2019, North Carolina adopted the 2018 North Carolina Building code. It is based on the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with state amendments and is mandatory statewide. 

History

The NC Building Codes Council met several times in 2010 to approve new energy codes for the state. The meetings became increasingly polarized and resulted in a compromise to update the energy code as part of the 2012 Building Codes.  The NC Legislature weighed in on the matter in 2011, approving Senate Bill 708.  The bill ensured that the 2012 North Carolina Energy Conservation Code, as adopted by the Building Code Council on December 14, 2010, and approved by the Rules Review Commission on February 17, 2011, and the 2012 North Carolina Residential Code, as adopted by the Building Code Council on December 14, 2010, and approved by the Rules Review Commission on March 17, 2011, took effect on January 1, 2012.The code became mandatory statewide on March 1, 2012.