Cobb County, GA Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)

Cobb County's building code, Chapter 18 of the County Code, sets aside Article XI, "Georgia State Energy Codes for Buildings," for energy standards. Section 18-326 adopts "the edition of the International Energy Conservation Code promulgated pursuant to O.C.G.A. Section 8-2-25, as amended from time to time" as the county's energy code, an ordinance dating to January 25, 2005. Section 18-327 layers on a local amendment, adopted February 22, 2011, revising the International Energy Code, 2009 Edition and 2009 Georgia State Amendments to adopt Appendix C, Third Party Verification, and Appendix D, Sample Compliance Certificate, in their entirety, on top of whatever verification and certificate provisions the base code already carries.

This chapter governs only the unincorporated county. Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs and Austell each adopt and amend their own energy provisions, so a project inside any of those six cities answers to municipal code, not this section.

The energy code rides on the same permitting spine as every other technical code in Chapter 18. Section 18-27 requires a permit from the development and inspections division of the community development agency before electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas or building work begins, and a permit lapses if work is not commenced within 180 days or is discontinued for 180 days, though the building official can grant extensions for justifiable cause. Section 18-26 lets the building official withhold new permits from a contractor with unresolved violations on earlier permits. Disputes over how the energy code was applied go to the county's nine-member board of adjustments and appeals: a written appeal must be filed within 20 days of notice under Section 18-38, and the board's ruling is final except for review by certiorari to the Cobb County Superior Court.