In June, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed House Bill 803 into law requiring the statewide adoption of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code and the 2021 International Residential Code Chapter 11 Energy Efficiency. The Louisiana legislature had previously cleared the bill unanimously. The newly signed bill will transfer the responsibility of commercial energy code enforcement from the state government to the local, municipal/parish government and third-party providers, while the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council will add the IECC as part of the statewide adopted codes.

To facilitate the code’s adoption, HB 803 also establishes the “Energy Code Commission” which will be comprised of 16 members and be responsible for reviewing and amending the 2021 editions of the IRC Chapter 11 and IECC for residential, commercial and state-owned buildings. This temporary commission will review and consider amendments to the 2021 energy code provisions and will dissolve upon the completion of the LSUCCC’s Administrative Rule process, completing the adoption of the 2021 IECC. The code’s ultimate statewide effective date is July 1, 2023.