How is the stretch code different from the existing ase energy code?
The stretch code appendix offers a streamlined and cost effective route to achieving approximately 20% to 25% better energy efficiency in new residential buildings, and 20% in new commercial buildings, than is required by the existing base energy code. This is largely achieved by moving to a performance-based code, where developers are required to design buildings so as to meet an energy target substantially better than code, and have flexibility in how they meet that target to allow for cost effective and appropriately designed solutions. New residential construction must use the performance-based approach, but residential renovations and most commercial buildings may instead follow a ‘prescriptive’ route that requires a set of specific energy efficiency improvements, which in the commercial case add up to approximately a 20% improvement over the current code. Many of these changes have been endorsed by the federal Department of Energy and are likely to be incorporated into the next I
