The City of Chicago has adopted the Chicago Energy Conservation Code (Chapter 18-13 amended April 22, 2009) .

Since Sept. 3, 2002, applicants for Energy Code-applicable building permits are required to include a statement of compliance from an architect or engineer who has attended one or more city Energy Code workshops and who is listed on this web site as a Registered Energy Professional for Residential Buildings, Commercial Buildings or both. Statements of compliance may be from a professional other than the architect or engineer of record for the project, but it must be from a licensed architect or engineer who is listed with the Department of Buildings as a Registered Energy Professional.

Only architects and engineers licensed in Illinois can become a Registered Energy Professional.  They only schedule a few training sessions each year, so if you are interested in attending, don’t wait too late to sign up.

The City of Chicago is serious about this matter; they have added this note on their Department of Buildings web site, “Compliance with the Energy Code is mandatory and will be enforced. Plans submitted with a compliance statement by a Registered Energy Professional (REP) will proceed through the permit process without delay. Plans subject to the Energy Code which are submitted without (1) a Compliance Statement, OR (2) Statement that Compliance is Not Required, will not be accepted.”

For more info regarding this including the opportunity to download the full text of the Energy Conservation Code check out the City of Chicago Department of Buildings web site (look for the link to the “Chicago Building Code” and then the link to the ”Chicago Energy Conservation Code“).  You can ask questions about the Chicago energy code by emailing them directly at energycode@cityofchicago.org (or by fax (312) 744-0682) .  They ask that you include with your question your name, the name of your firm (if applicable), your phone number, your fax number, your email address, and type of project (commercial or residential).

There will be three ICC seminars in Chicago, IL this year that focus on how to demonstrate compliance with the residential and commercial provisions of the Chicago Energy Conservation Code (CECC). Completion of the Overview of the Chicago Energy Conservation Code Seminar (and provision of a copy of your Illinois license – architect or engineer – provided to ICC) will qualify you for Chicago Registered Energy Professional status until such time other training or certification is required by the executive director of the City of Chicago Department of Construction and Permits.

This series of seminars is for everyone; you do not have to be a resident of the city of Chicago. Each seminar is six contact hours and offers 0.6 CEUs.  The cost is $189 for ICC members, $210 for non-members.  The dates of these seminars in 2010 are February 25th, May 6th, and September 16th.  For more information and to register visit the ICC web site: http://www.iccsafe.org/training/seminars/chicago-energy.html

COMcheck is a free software program from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for commercial buildings designed to simplify the process of demonstrating compliance with the commercial building energy code using whole-building performance methods. To show compliance using COMcheck, you need to enter information about your building design using the program’s user interface.  Forms and checklists are included for documenting compliance. Check out their web site here:  www.energycodes.gov