DOE Issues a Request for Information (RFI) Soliciting Public Input on Energy Conservation Standards for Manufactured Homes. Comments Due December 2, 2025.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) issued a request for information (RFI) to solicit public input on its energy conservation standards for manufactured housing. According to DOE,“ Responses to the RFI will inform DOE’s technical analysis of existing standards and facilitate the Department’s ongoing effort to roll back unnecessary regulations on the manufactured housing market.” Additionally, DOE notes that they are to working with both homeowners and manufacturers to ensure “all regulations help lower costs for consumers and expand freedom of choice and that the RFI will ensure that new conservation standards reflect the interests of those who are most directly affected by changes to our regulatory framework.” The latest Energy Conservation Standards for Manufactured Housing requirements issued by DOE have been controversial including being the subject of ongoing litigation by the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) and others for a number of reasons alleging DOE failed to consider all relevant costs for the requirements in the regulation as well as other processing failures in developing the regulation.   On July 1, 2025, DOE issued a final rule delaying the deadline for compliance with energy-conservation standards for multi-section homes, allowing manufacturers 180 days from the publication of corresponding enforcement procedures to comply with DOE standards. According to DOE, the RFI issued is expected to provide the department “with valuable public feedback as it considers its next deregulatory action and will serve as the basis for restructuring the approach and framework for standards that would apply to manufactured housing.” The deadline for submitting responses to the RFI is Dec. 2, 2025. The BECS Committee will be discussing this request and considering providing comments on the information DOE seeks at the upcoming BECS Committee meeting in Bozeman, Montana. able for Public Input

International Code Council (ICC) Issues a 60 Day Public Comment Period for its Revised Performance Code (ICCPC)  —  Comments Due October 29.

The ICC has issued  a notice for public comments on the latest  draft of the ICC Performance Code (ICCPC) for a period of 60 days starting August 29, 2025 and ending October 29, 2025. According to the release statement,  the purpose of the public comment request is “ To provide a modern, updated, International Code®-based option, the Code Council is reimagining the ICCPC, a code originally developed during the 1996-2000 code cycle and largely unchanged since. This important effort is driven by the “Reimagining the ICC Performance Code” study, aimed at bringing the code up to today’s industry standards. .Rapid change related to the acceleration of new technology, pressures from climate change and population growth can make it difficult for traditional prescriptive regulatory approaches to remain current. The ICCPC is intended to provide an enhanced regulatory tool to address these issues. The development of the ICCPC will better align with actual performance across numerous disciplines, facilitate more robust solutions, and provide stronger linkages to design methods, tools and data. This can be a tool for countries that have a robust system of prescriptive codes and standards and associated building regulatory systems to assist in the adoption of new and sustainable technologies. The ICCPC can also serve as a critical framework for those countries without such systems in place.” To view the initial draft, click here.  Changes may be submitted to the initial draft of the 2027 ICCPC here.  BECS Committee staff is reviewing the draft and BECS Committee members are also requested to review it and provide feedback on any provisions impacting the direct use of natural gas in the ICCPC.

State Codes Activity Update.

Attached is a weekly feature of the “Friday Update” covering state code calendar activities as presented by the online utility “Fiscal Note,” which is sponsored by APGA and AGA Code and Standards. Please review the update and determine if there are state code activities that impact your service territory or organization.

NOTE:  Also attached is the AGA September 4, 2025 New Energy Insights that provides important statistical information on the global use of natural gas.