NEEA’s Codes, Standards and New Construction team has had a fast start to 2023 and it’s hard to believe that Q1 is over. Codes, Standards, and New Construction activities have been busier than ever, especially considering the federal funding opportunities for code advancement. This newsletter provides a high-level view of the activities NEEA staff are managing; feel free to connect if you have detailed questions or suggestions on ways we can be more effective in this area.
The funding opportunity announcement (FOA) due dates from the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) constituted the big story in Q1 2023. Concept papers and applications were due in Q1 2023 for the first $45 million (of $225 million) of the codes portion of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). NEEA staff are tracking several proposals that could provide funding for training, workforce development and tool development that would benefit the Northwest; decisions on these applications will occur in Q2 2023. The second FOA will be released in Q3 or Q4 2023. These funding opportunities will continue for the next three years. NEEA staff are also waiting for the first announcement of the $1 billion of code funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to prepare for increased collaboration and coordination for net zero construction activities within our region.
Beyond the funding opportunities, NEEA staff have continued to participate in federal and state equipment standards, state and national code development, and training and education activities within each state. Each of these areas is described below.
Finally, NEEA’s Market Research and Evaluation team is managing an evaluation of the alliance's codes program that will be available Q2 2023. The MRE team is also managing several code compliance studies, also described within the newsletter. In summary, the team is busy and involved in a lot of impactful work that will increase efficiency and comfort in the Northwest.
