NASEO Request for Proposals - Codes and Energy Resilience

The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), seeks a Consultant to develop resources that help State Energy Offices understand, evaluate, and advance the resilience co-benefits of building codes. Research has demonstrated that every $1 invested in adopting building codes results in $11 of benefit, with energy codes serving as a critical component of this value proposition. The Consultant will focus specifically on low-rise residential building codes (buildings covered by the International Residential Code) and will create two primary deliverables.

The first deliverable is a comprehensive Inventory of existing state and local energy efficiency and resilience codes, including stretch codes. This Inventory will identify examples of existing code language and measures that improve energy efficiency, energy resilience, and passive survivability while providing hazard resistance benefits. Examples will be categorized by building measure type, hazard type mitigated (including extreme heat and cold, high winds, hurricanes, and wildfire), how measures contribute to energy efficiency and resilience, and climate zones where measures provide benefits. Effective measures will be elevated and described, incorporating examples from both energy and non-energy sections of codes. The final Inventory will be delivered as an Excel spreadsheet.

The second deliverable is an Energy Efficiency and Energy Resilience Code Evaluation Rubric Toolkit for use by State Energy Offices. This Toolkit (not to exceed 20 pages excluding citations) will provide metrics and methods for evaluating building energy code measures for improving efficiency and resilience. It will include performance metrics and evaluation frameworks, example code language supporting energy resilience and efficiency, guidance on evaluating the value proposition of code adoption for different locations and income levels, and examination of public safety, health, and energy access benefits. The Rubric will provide a structured framework for evaluating code measures against factors such as hazards present in a state and alignment with state energy, resilience, economic, and emission reduction goals.

Key dates include a Kickoff Meeting within 14 days of contract ratification; Inventory Outline due 15 days after kickoff; Review Draft due 60 days after kickoff; Final Draft due 90 days after kickoff; Toolkit Outline due 15 days after kickoff; Toolkit Review Draft due 60 days after kickoff; Toolkit Final Draft due 90 days after kickoff; Presentation slide deck Review Draft due 14 days after final draft acceptance; Presentation Final Draft due 30 days after final draft acceptance; and Close out meeting 30 days after inventory and toolkit release. The estimated project period is March 1, 2025 to July 31, 2025. The Consultant will participate in biweekly status update meetings with NASEO staff and potentially relevant State Energy Offices.