NAHB and Rhode Island BA Partnership Gets $1.6 Million for Energy Code Training

Codes and Standards
Published
Contacts: Vladimir Kochkin
[email protected]
Director, Codes & Standards
(202) 266-8574

Paul Karrer
[email protected]
Senior Program Manager, Energy, Codes & Standards
(202) 266-8300

The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources and the Rhode Island Builders Association (RIBA) have received a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to provide energy code training and educational resources to building inspectors, designers, home builders and construction trades professionals in the state.

RIBA will focus on training home building professionals on the new state energy code using materials developed through a partnership with NAHB. The new state code is based on the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and is a significant change from the previous requirements. RIBA’s goal is to bring the building industry in the state up to speed on the new code quickly to ensure continuous supply of homes and remodels. 

Funding for the DOE grant came from a program included in the bipartisan infrastructure law passed in 2021.

NAHB began working with RIBA last year to help the HBA develop training modules on various aspects of the new code. Staff from NAHB and RIBA collaborated with building science and other experts on materials that addressed the particular energy code in Rhode Island and that will hopefully be usable in other jurisdictions.

“We wanted an industry-based training program for the code that could allow RIBA to be a training partner in the space, work in collaboration with its state energy office, and to create a resource for other state HBAs who may soon face these circumstances,” said John Marcantonio, executive officer of RIBA.

NAHB and RIBA held its first in-person training session in January attended by state and local leaders, including the governor, who were interested in the workforce training aspect of the event.

Training and development are a core part of RIBA’s membership strategy. The association offers courses, many free of charge, designed to help experienced trade professionals transition to general contracting and home building. RIBA also offers other education options, including a full suite of NAHB courses.

NAHB responded quickly to the need,” noted Marcantonio. “The two organizations worked over a short period of time to produce and launch a comprehensive and easy-to-understand series of course modules designed for builders by builders.”

The energy codes training modules and training session are a great example of a successful partnership between NAHB, its members and HBAs.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Material Costs

Oct 30, 2025

Senate Approves 3 Resolutions to Limit President’s Tariff Authority

The Senate has voted to approve three resolutions that would rescind President Trump’s authority to impose tariffs on foreign imports based on national security considerations.

Sponsored Content

Oct 30, 2025

Avoiding Lender Failure: 4 Costly Lessons from a Real Builder's Story

Financing isn’t just about funding — it’s about trust. Even experienced teams can get blindsided when the wrong lender sits across the table. Here are four costly lessons every spec builder should learn before signing their next loan.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Oct 30, 2025

Which Local Markets Track National Trends the Most: 2024 Single-Family MAI

The National Association of Home Builders developed the Single-Family Market Association Index (MAI) to measure how closely single-family building permits in metro areas follow national patterns. By comparing local and national trends, the MAI helps industry leaders and forecasters better understand and predict housing market activity.

Economics

Oct 29, 2025

The Fed Cuts amid Partly Cloudy Conditions

With the government shutdown limiting the quantity of economic data available to markets and policymakers, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) enacted a widely anticipated 25 basis point cut for the short-term federal funds rate.

Economics

Oct 28, 2025

Home Price Growth Slows

Home prices in August grew at the lowest annual rate in over two years, according to the recent release of the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Index (seasonally adjusted – SA).