METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE NOx EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS FROM THEIMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2000 IECC/IRC CONSERVATION CODE IN TEXAS

Four areas in Texas have been designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as non-attainment areas because ozone levels exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) maximum allowable limits. These areas face severe sanctions if attainment is not reached by 2007. Four additional areas in the state are also approaching national ozone limits (i.e., affected areas). In 2001, the Texas State Legislature formulated and passed the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP), to reduce ozone levels by encouraging the reduction of emissions of NOx by sources that are currently not regulated by the state. An important part of this legislation is the State’s energy efficiency program, which includes reductions in energy use and demand that are associated with the adoption of the 2001 IECC, which represents one of the first times that the EPA is considering emissions reductions credits from energy conservation – an important new development for building efficiency professionals, since this could pave the way for documented procedures for financial reimbursement for building energy conservation from the state’s emissions reductions funding. This paper provides a detailed discussion of the procedures that have been used to calculate the electricity savings and NOx reductions from residential construction in non-attainment and affected counties using the eGRID database. The previous paper by Haberl et al. (2004) presents results from the application of the methodology that is detailed in this paper.