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

Legal | Energy

Jul 10, 2025

NAHB Presents Oral Arguments Challenging HUD’s 2021 IECC Mandate

On July 9, the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Texas heard oral arguments in NAHB’s challenge to the government’s final determination requiring that homes built under certain housing programs comply with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and 2019 ASHRAE-90.1.

Economics

Jul 10, 2025

Remodeling Market Sentiment Dips in Second Quarter

NAHB released its NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the second quarter, posting a reading of 59, down four points compared to the previous quarter. While the reading of 59 is still in positive territory, this is only the second time the RMI has dipped below 60 since the survey was revised in the first quarter of 2020.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Jul 09, 2025

Mortgage Applications Picked Up in June as Rates Eased

Mortgage application activity picked up in June, supported by a slight decline in interest rates. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, which tracks mortgage application volume, rose 5.4% from May on a seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to June 2024, total applications were up 21.1%.

Economics

Jul 09, 2025

Who’s Still Working from Home in 2025? A Look at America’s Telework Trends

Remote work may no longer dominate the U.S. labor force as it did during the height of the pandemic in 2020, but it still represents a substantial share of employment today.

Economics

Jul 08, 2025

Top Ten Builder Share Rises Again in 2024

The top ten builders captured a record 44.7% of all new U.S. single-family home closings in 2024, up 2.4 percentage points from 2023 (42.3%).