On January 1, Illinois became the second state, after Maryland,
to adopt the nation’s strictest energy-efficient building code
to date. Mandatory blower door and duct tests and mechanical
ventilation are among the provisions now required for new
commercial and residential buildings in the Land of Lincoln.
“I’ll be unequivocal,” said Corbett Lunsford, director of the
Illinois Association of Energy Raters. “It is the best thing
that has ever happened to the building industry in Illinois,
except maybe the World’s Fair in 1893.” In addition to higher
r-values for attics and basements, the new code requires homes
to undergo performance testing. The stringent new code has irked
the Homebuilders Association of Illinois and has spurred more
training for home energy raters. The International Energy
Conservation Code (IECC) is updated every three years. First
released in July 2011, the 2012 IECC represents a major step
forward. Largely based on the New Buildings Institute’s Core
Performance Guide, the 2012 IECC require