The Department of Energy (DOE) announced on December 17 that it has selected 24 states, including Montana, to receive a total of $7 million to support the adoption of updated, energy-efficient building codes. The funding will expand the existing partnerships between states and the federal government and help states to more rapidly adopt new residential and commercial building codes, as well increase compliance with those codes. As part of the Administration’s broad efforts to help families and businesses save money by saving energy, these awards will help states and local communities significantly cut the energy intensity of the nation’s buildings sector, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S. Montana will receive $141,705.

This technical assistance through the Department’s Building Energy Codes program is being funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) will provide the selected states with up to $350,000 in technical assistance that include activities such as code trainings for the building community and adoption outreach to policy makers. Each state has committed to work with DOE to advance adoption, training, and compliance for the updated building codes. Read the full news release.