Illinois Energy Efficient Building Act

The Energy Efficient Building Act requires all new commercial and residential construction for which a building permit application is received by a municipality or county to follow a comprehensive statewide energy conservation code. Renovations, alterations, additions, and repairs to most existing commercial and residential buildings must follow the Illinois Energy Conservation Code. The  Energy Efficient Building Act requires design and construction professionals to follow the latest published edition of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) which is currently the 2015 IECC and the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 “Energy Standard for Buildings except Low-Rise Residential Buildings,” referenced therein. Under the Act, the Capital Development Board has the power to modify the Illinois Energy Conservation Code. 

Local governments are free to adopt stricter energy conservation Laws for  commercial buildings defined by the Energy Efficient Building Act. However, for  residential buildings defined by the Energy Efficient Building Act, local governments may not adopt or regulate energy conservation standards either less or more stringent than the Illinois Energy Conservation Code. Exceptions which would allow local governments to regulate energy efficient standards in a  more stringent manner are municipalities or counties which meet one of the following three provisions:

• A unit of local government that on or before May 15, 2009 adopted or incorporated by reference energy efficient building standards for residential building that are equivalent to or more stringent than the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code
• A unit of local government that on or before May 15, 2009 provided to the Capital Development Board identification of an energy efficient building code or amendment that is equivalent to or more stringent than the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code
• A municipality with a population of 1, 000, 000 or more

The  Energy Efficient Building Act does not apply to buildings designated“ historic” or having“ landmark status”(interior and exterior separately), buildings exempt from a local building code, and 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.  The Illinois’ Energy Efficient Building Act may be found in Chapter 20 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Act 3125.