Building Code and Policy Development

 

BUILDING POLICIES AND CODES ARE KEY POLICY LEVERS TO SUPPORT CLIMATE MITIGATION AND RESILIENCE EFFORTS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS.

Buildings represent one of the largest sectors of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the country. We recognize, in order to be successful in GHG mitigation efforts, local and state governments must develop and deploy programs and policies that address emissions in the built environment. Lotus has an extensive understanding of building policy and program levers. We have experience in processing data and stakeholder input to ensure successful policy and program implementation.

Lotus has worked with clients to:

  • Write building code, policy, and programs that support emission reductions;

  • Facilitate technical stakeholder groups to develop code, policy, and programs;

  • Produce building energy models to inform policy decisions; and 

  • Co-create roadmaps for communities to strengthen their building policies and programs over time.

 

FOR A LIST OF OUR BUILDING POLICY AND CODE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS CLICK HERE.

Photo of urban buildings with cars and street art

We are energy code experts.

We’ve developed stretch codes and energy codes for numerous local governments and the State of Colorado. We know the building code elements that will create a more efficient, sustainable, and resilient community.

We facilitate technical stakeholder discussions grounded in consensus building.

Whether it be a regional cohort of local governments, or a state board to develop policy language, our team has facilitated complex, technical discussions with subject matter experts to co-create policy and code language that meets the needs of diverse communities. We excel at consensus-building and know that in order for policies to be impactful, they must embed equity from the onset and consider unique community needs and circumstances.

Photo of homes in a suburban neighborhood.

We develop programs to support the decarbonization of homes, businesses, and communities.

Lotus has co-developed grant and rebate programs to increase efficiency and reduce emissions in our homes and buildings. We’ve worked with clients to design inclusive and equitable outreach for our grant and rebate programs to ensure all community members have the agency to access resources to support their needs.  

We produce and analyze data to inform building code and policy.

With the incredible diversity of building and infrastructure types, the best policies and programs for the built environment rely on strong data and analysis. Lotus has produced building energy models and analyzed large data sets of building-use data to inform code and policy decisions. Our team excels at communicating technical data and reports to a broad, non-technical audience, including decision-makers and community members to ensure data-driven decisions are at the forefront of policy choices.


 

Lotus team member Kim Schlaepfer presenting on net zero and energy codes.

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