International Energy Conservation Code, commercial
Texas enforces the 2015 IECC commercial
The 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for commercial buildings has been in force in Texas since Nov 1, 2016. It applies statewide. Adopted by State Energy Conservation Office (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts), on stringency findings from the Energy Systems Laboratory (Texas A&M). The legal citation is Tex. Health & Safety Code §388.003(b); State Energy Conservation Office rules, 34 TAC ch. 19.
Record of adoption
Edition in force
2015 IECC
2015 International Energy Conservation Code (Texas commercial energy code)
Verified
- In force since
- Legal citation
- Tex. Health & Safety Code §388.003(b); State Energy Conservation Office rules, 34 TAC ch. 19
- Adopted by
- State Energy Conservation Office (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts), on stringency findings from the Energy Systems Laboratory (Texas A&M)
- Second reading
- Applies
- Statewide
- Also called
- 2015 IECC, SECO commercial energy code, Health & Safety Code §388.003(b)
The DOE tracker also lists ASHRAE 90.1-2013 as an equivalent path and no state amendments.
Exceptions
- Municipalities and counties may adopt local amendments, which may not ‘result in less stringent energy efficiency requirements’ in non-attainment and affected counties (SECO).
- SECO also adopts energy codes for state-funded buildings.
Coming next
- 2024 IECCPartialNo date yetIn developmentTex. Health & Safety Code §388.003(b); 34 TAC §19.52 (request-for-comment step)
SECO issued a request for comment on Oct 13, 2025 (Texas Register, Oct 24, 2025). No later SECO notice, proposed rule or adoption was found on SECO’s pages or elsewhere as of Oct 17, 2026. Any adopted edition must take effect at least nine months after adoption.
How Texas adopts the IECC commercial
The statute names a 2001 base IECC and authorizes SECO to substitute the latest published edition by rule, based on the Energy Systems Laboratory’s written findings on its stringency (due within six months of publication). SECO publishes a request for comment in the Texas Register and then decides; an adopted edition may take effect no sooner than nine months after adoption. SB 783 (2025) amended the adoption process and listed SECO-adopted energy codes among the exemptions in Gov’t Code §3000.002(c).
Cycle. SECO describes a three-year cycle for commercial codes; the commercial code has not changed since the 2015 IECC took effect in 2016.
Laws, rulings, and other actions
- Other actionSECO request for comment on the 2024 IRC energy chapter and 2024 IECC
SECO opened the energy-code adoption process for the 2024 editions by Texas Register notice (published Oct 24, 2025); no adoption has been found.
- LegislationSB 7832025 regular session, 89th Legislature
Amended Health & Safety Code §388.003 (SECO’s authority to adopt and amend energy-code editions): adopted editions take effect no sooner than nine months after adoption, residential editions need a housing-attainability and cost-effectiveness analysis, and SECO-adopted energy codes are listed among the exemptions in Gov’t Code §3000.002(c).
Enacted May 20, 2025 (filed without the governor’s signature), effective Sep 1, 2025
capitol.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)
How it was checked
Verified
Two separate readings of the state’s own record agree, and the passage is on file word for word.
Read twice: a second, blind reading of the state’s record agreed with the first on .
The state’s record was last read on , from four source pages.
Evidence 4 sources
Sources for the record itself come first, the state’s own records ahead of others. A label marks a source about something else, such as an exception. A source marked secondary is not the state’s own record.
“The State Energy Conservation Office may adopt and substitute for that energy code the latest published edition”
“based on written findings on the stringency of the edition”
Health and Safety Code, Chapter 388, Sec. 388.003 (Texas Constitution and Statutes)Texas Legislative Council (Texas Constitution and Statutes)tcss.legis.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved “adopted the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)”
“taller than three stories”
“Nov. 1, 2016”
“as it existed on May 1, 2015”
Commercial and Multi-family Construction - Texas Comptroller (SECO)Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, State Energy Conservation Officecomptroller.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved About an exception
“result in less stringent energy efficiency requirements”
Energy Code Adoption - Texas Comptroller (SECO)Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, State Energy Conservation Officecomptroller.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved About an exception
“adopts energy codes for single-family residential, commercial and state-funded buildings.”
State Energy Conservation Office - Texas ComptrollerTexas Comptroller of Public Accounts, State Energy Conservation Officecomptroller.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved
Tracker cross-checks
Code adoption trackers are a cross-check. They are not Texas’s own record.
DOE’s energycodes.govCross-checkAgrees with the record
Commercial: 2015 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2013, no state amendments, effective 11/01/2016, mandatory statewide.