International Code Council Criticizes DOE's Reversal of Nearly Three Decades of Federal Findings on Energy Codes

On Friday, June 26, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) removed longstanding analysis that details the cost-effectiveness of energy codes from energycodes.gov. The robust analysis was replaced with an unsupported assertion that updates to the International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC) since 2006 have resulted in unnecessary construction costs. DOE made these assertions without disclosing its methodology, despite continuing to solicit public input through an open Request for Information on how that methodology should be updated.

A now-deleted page on DOE’s website stated that adoption of the latest energy codes would save U.S. homes and businesses $182 billion between 2010 and 2040. DOE has also removed at least six economic analyses produced by its Pacific Northwest National Laboratory evaluating successive IECC editions. Each analysis concluded that any incremental construction costs associated with the code would be more than offset by utility bill savings for residents and businesses. By focusing solely on construction costs while disregarding long-term energy savings, DOE presents an incomplete picture of the relationship between energy codes and housing affordability.

In response to the DOE assertions, the International Code Council (ICC) distributed the following statement: “The Energy Department is completely contradicting its own findings. For nearly three decades, under Democratic and Republican administrations, after each new edition of the International Energy Conservation Code, which is released every three years, the Department of Energy concluded that the code saved both money and energy. A webpage that was recently removed showed that the adoption of the latest energy code will save U.S. homes and businesses $182 billion between 2010 and 2040. The DOE’s new methodology is a deep mystery.”

In announcing its revised approach, DOE included a previously issued letter to ICC regarding the future development of the IECC. ICC has since responded, outlining how the 2030 IECC development process is being enhanced to better reflect the diverse needs, priorities, and policy objectives of jurisdictions across the country.

The International Code Council remains committed to an open, consensus-based, science-driven code development process that balances affordability, safety, resilience, energy efficiency, and consumer choice. ICC invites all interested parties to participate in its code development process that has helped strengthen public safety for the past thirty years.