Dubuque, IA Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)

Dubuque City Code section 14-1C-1 adopts the International Energy Conservation Code, 2015 edition, as published by the International Code Council, as the city's energy code, known formally as the Dubuque Energy Code. The thermal efficiency provisions control the construction of all new buildings and any renovation project that affects a structure's building thermal envelope anywhere within the corporate limits. The lighting efficiency provisions separately control new construction of buildings open to the general public during normal business hours. A copy of the adopted 2015 IECC is kept on file with the city clerk for public inspection.

Section 14-1C-2 carries city-specific amendments to that adopted code, including replacing IECC sections 109.1 through 109.3 with the appeal procedure in City Code section 14-1A-6 (the Building Code Advisory and Appeal Board) and rewriting the code's general definitions section (202) with Dubuque-specific terms such as building thermal envelope, code official and conditioned space. The energy code was adopted by Ordinance 22-16 on June 6, 2016, effective July 1, 2016, and sits alongside the city's separately adopted International Building Code in Title 14, Chapter 1. Compliance is enforced at the permit stage: renovation or new-construction permits affecting the thermal envelope or interior lighting of publicly-occupied buildings must meet the adopted 2015 IECC standards before Building Services will approve the work.