Indiana

The first statewide energy code was adopted December 1, 1979. The code was based on the 1977 "Model Code for Energy Conservation in New Building Construction." It applied to both residential and commercial structures. Modifications to this code dealt with non technical administrative issues. On October 1, 1984, a revised code, the IECC (1984 edition), became effective statewide. This code was based on the 1983 MEC with state amendments and applied to all residential and commercial construction. On December 31, 1992, a new code based on the 1992 MEC with state amendments became effective. Although the HVAC requirements were updated to comply with the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act, the electrical power and lighting requirements of the 1979 code were retained.

During its September 6, 2006 meeting, the Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission decided not to pursue the adoption of the IECC as a commercial code for Indiana. It will continue to enforce the Indiana Energy Code of 1992.

In February 2009, legislators in the House of Representatives of the Indiana General Assembly introduced bills that would have required the state to adopt the latest edition of either the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or ASHRAE Standard 90.1 by July 1, 2010, and any subsequent editions within two years of their publication. A companion Senate bill was also introduced, though it only called for adoption of the latest IECC by July 1, 2010, and adoption of subsequent editions 18 months after their publication. 

Governor Mitch Daniels vetoed HB 1348 that would have adopted the 2009 IECC or ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 for commercial buildings. The governor's veto message called the bill "good policy," but also "superfluous." He cited a need to prevent redundant "clutter" within Indiana law given his direction to the state Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission to begin the process to update the state's energy codes months beforehand.  

Though the bill passed both chambers of the legislature by near-unanimous majorities (47-2 in the Senate, 96-0 in the House), the prospects for a legislative override of the veto are uncertain as of mid-June 2009. The regular legislative session ended in late April, but a special session regarding the state budget will begin in on or around June 15. Given the primary fiscal focus of this session, it will be left to the leadership of both chambers whether potential overrides of non-budgetary vetoes will be addressed. If not, the Legislature will not likely return to this issue before November 2009.  

On June 28, 2008, Governor Daniels signed Executive Order 08-14, requiring all new state buildings to earn LEED Silver certification, the EPA Energy Star rating, two Globes under the Green Globes rating system, or the equivalent under an ANSI accredited rating system. The EO also requires that all renovations of existing state buildings must follow LEED, Green Globes, or other guidelines.

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Commercial Update: After months of rulemaking and administrative review procedures, the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission completed work on the first substantial commercial energy code update in nearly two decades. Effective May 6, 2010, the 2010 Indiana Energy Conservation Code references ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007, as amended, for Class 1 structures (commercial buildings and residential buildings with three or more dwelling units). As part of the state’s new rule adoption process, the Rule #09-388 was approved by the Commission in December 2009, adding 675 IAC 19-4 to the Indiana Administrative Code. The rule was approved by the Attorney General and Governor on March 30, 2010 and became effective 30 days after its filing date of April 6, 2010.

Residential Update: After receiving approval by the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission on November 2, 2011, rule LSA #11-84 successfully passed through the state’s administrative review process. The rule amends the energy provisions of the 2005 Indiana Residential Code (675 IAC 14-4.3), based for almost two decades on the 1992 Model Energy Code, by adopting provisions of Chapter 11 of the 2009 IRC with amendments to make it equivalent to Chapter 4 of the 2009 IECC. The rule does not propose updates to the non-energy provisions of the state’s residential code.