Pottstown, PA Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)
Key Facts
- Code adopted
- 2009 Int'l Energy Conservation Code
- Governing sections
- §§ 1101-1102, Chapter 5 Part 11
- Enforcing office
- Licensing and Inspections Director
- Local penalty amounts
- $50 and $1,000 (§ 108.4 as amended)
- Future editions
- Adopted automatically via PA Act 45
Summary
Pottstown Borough Council adopted the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code by reference under Borough Code §§ 1101-1102, governing energy-efficient building envelopes and mechanical, lighting and power systems in new construction and renovation. The Borough's own amendment rewrites the penalty clause, inserting local fine figures of $50 and $1,000, and routes permits and fees through the Licensing and Inspections Director.
§ 1101. Adoption of the International Energy Conservation Code. ... A certain document, three copies of which are on file in the office of the Licensing and Inspections Director of the Borough of Pottstown, being marked and designated as the International Energy Conservation Code, 2009 Edition, as published by the International Code Council, be and is hereby adopted as the Energy Conservation Code of the Borough of Pottstown, in the State of Pennsylvania, for regulating and governing energy-efficient building envelopes and installation of energy-efficient mechanical, lighting and power systems as herein provided; providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefor ... B. Section 108.4 - $50 and $1,000.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5012545; v22 updated 2026-07-13; through 07-13-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 5, Part 11 of the Pottstown Borough Code of Ordinances adopts the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 2009 Edition, including Appendices, as the Borough's Energy Conservation Code under § 1101. The ordinance text itself, not just the incorporated model code, is local law: it designates the copies on file with the Licensing and Inspections Director as the official version and states the code governs 'energy-efficient building envelopes and installation of energy-efficient mechanical, lighting and power systems' for construction inside Borough limits, and requires a permit and fee for that work.
Because Chapter 5 works by adopting national model codes and then editing specific numbered sections, most of the substantive technical standards live in the ICC text itself and are not printed in the Borough's own code file. 4 is rewritten with the dollar figures $50 and $1,000 written directly into the Borough's ordinance. Section 1103 ties the Part to the state framework, providing that as the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (Act 45, 34 Pa. Code Part XIV) adopts newer IECC editions, those editions become part of Pottstown's code automatically, without a fresh borough ordinance.
There is no separate 'green building' code layered on top: for Pottstown, energy-code compliance, checked and permitted through Licensing and Inspections, is the Borough's green-building requirement.
Violations & Fines
Work that does not meet the adopted 2009 IECC standards, or that proceeds without the required Licensing and Inspections permit, is enforced under § 1102's amended Section 108.4, which carries locally set dollar penalties of $50 and $1,000. Chapter 5's general code-enforcement provisions apply for notices of violation, and the Licensing and Inspections Director's office handles plan review, inspections and permit fees set by Borough Council resolution under § 906.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pottstown have its own green building code?
What did the Borough change from the stock energy code?
Who enforces the energy code in Pottstown?
Will Pottstown automatically pick up newer energy code editions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pottstown
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