VERMONT
CURRENT CODE
Residential: Vermont Resi-
dential Building Energy
Standard, based on 2000
IECC
Commercial: 2005 Vermont
Guidelines for Energy Effi-
cient Commercial Construc-
tion, based on IECC 2004.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Population: 621,270
Total Housing Units:
299,570
ENERGY
CONSUMPTION
Residential Sector:
47.7 Trillion BTU
Commercial Sector:
31.2 Trillion BTU
59% of the state’s fuel oil
supply is used for heating
residential homes.
Nuclear power accounts for
three fourths of electricity
generated in Vermont.
Total energy consumption
is the lowest of any state in
the nation.
CODE CHANGE CYCLE
Updated every three years
BCAP 1850 M St. NW Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20036 | www.bcap-energy.org
Vermont will receive $21.9 Million from the federal gov-
ernment if the state adopts the latest energy codes:
 IECC 2009 (International Energy Conservation
Code)
 ASHRAE 90.1 2007 (American Society of Heating
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers)
Accumulated residential sector savings, 2009 to 2020,
would be:
 5 billion Btu of energy
 35 thousand metric tons of CO2 (Equivalent to annual
greenhouse gases for 6,410 passenger vehicles)
 $6 million
 $6 million would pay more than the full undergradu-
ate tuition of current students at private universities
in Vermont.
FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES:
In February 2009 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated $3.1 billion for
U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Program (SEP) to assist states with building
energy efficiency efforts. As one of the requirements to receive SEP grants, state governors
must certify to DOE that their state will implement energy codes of equal or greater strin-
gency than the latest national model codes (currently IECC 2009 and Standard 90.1-2007).
Thus, it is in the state’s best economic interests to adopt these standards statewide and be-
gin enjoying the benefits of an efficient building sector.
CODE ADOPTION AND CHANGE PROCESS:
Regulatory process: RBES Revisions go through a process specified in the State Adminis-
trative Procedures Act (3 V.S.A. Chapter 25), including public notification, public hearing,
testimony, and comments. The Vermont Department of Public Service must provide techni-
cal assistance and expert advice to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry on the interpre-
tation of the RBES and in formulating specific revisions to the RBES. At least one year
prior to adopting required revisions to the RBES, the Department of Public Service must
convene an advisory committee to provide recommendations to the commissioner.
For more information please consult the Building Codes Assistance Project (www.bcap-energy.org)
or Nick Zigelbaum (nzigelbaum@nrdc.org)
BCAP