Residential building code compliance: Implications for evaluating the performance of utility residential new construction programs

Knowing how well builders comply with or exceed energy-related building codes is critical for completing a sound evaluation of utility-sponsored residential new construction programs and for determining the actual cost-effectiveness of these programs. Obtaining credit from utility regulators for additional energy savings from code compliance in participant houses as a result of the utility program is one of the key options available for utilities for improving the cost-effectiveness of these programs.