Energy Code and Training

The Illinois EPA Office of Energy administers Energy Code Training and Technical Support pursuant to Section 25 of the Energy Efficient Building Act.  Below you will find more information about ways the Illinois EPA is helping code officials and building industry professionals access information about the Illinois Energy Conservation Code.

What is an Energy Conservation Code?

Illinois is part of a nationwide movement to codify energy efficient and sustainable standards in design and construction by adopting an energy conservation code (energy code). Energy codes are a set of rules that specify how buildings must be constructed or perform. An energy code creates uniform and enforceable requirements for new buildings and modifications of existing structures. In Illinois, local government and municipalities adopt and enforce energy codes for their jurisdictions. Communities that adopt energy codes cut air pollution, reduce future energy consumption, and control energy costs for residents and businesses.

Illinois Energy Conservation Code

The Energy Efficient Building Act was signed in 2004 and provided the state its first energy code for commercial buildings and later residential buildings in 2010. Under this law, the Capital Development Board (CDB) reviews and adapts the current International Energy Conservation Code ® (IECC) and adopts it as the Illinois Energy Conservation Code. You can find more detailed information about the history, goals and the current code using the links in the sidebar menu.

Energy Code Resources

To better administer the Illinois Energy Conservation Code, the Illinois EPA's Office of Energy has entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC). This partnership works to implement the Energy Efficient Building Act set in place by the Illinois Energy Conservation Code. SEDAC provides workshops, webinars, online training, and more resources for builders, code officials or anyone looking to understand the energy code. To understand more about these services, please visit SEDAC’s Energy Code Training page.