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Smyrna, TN Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Adopted code
International Energy Conservation Code, 2024 edition
Local section
Title 12, Chapter 7 (Sections 12-701 to 12-704)
Ordinance
Ord. No. 26-13, adopted 3-10-2026
Duct testing
Sections R403.3.7 and R403.3.8 are optional
Penalty
Civil offense, up to state authorized maximum
Continuing violation
Each day is a separate offense
Public copy
On file in the Town Clerk's office

Summary

The Town of Smyrna, Tennessee adopts the International Energy Conservation Code, 2024 edition, by reference in Title 12, Chapter 7 of its municipal code. The Town Council edited four provisions, mostly to keep 2009 IECC testing and insulation tables in force. A violation is a civil offense, and each day counts separately.

The International Energy Conservation Code, 2024 edition, and modifications thereto, is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference as part of this municipal code, and is hereinafter referred to as "the energy conservation code." ... (1)Chapter 1: Administration: Section 101.1 Title. Insert "Town of Smyrna, TN" in place of "[Name of Jurisdiction]."(2)Section R402.5.1.2 Testing is deleted and replaced with Section 402.4.2.1 Testing Option and Section 400.4.2.2 Visual Inspection Option from 2009 IECC.(3)Section R403.3.7 Duct Testing Mandatory and Section R403.3.8 Duct Leakage (Prescriptive) are optional. ... It shall be a civil offense for any person to violate or fail to comply with any provision of the energy code as herein adopted by reference and modified. The violation of any section of this chapter shall be punishable by a penalty that does not exceed state authorized maximum limits. Each day a violation is allowed to continue shall constitute a separate offense.

Full Breakdown

Title 12, Chapter 7 of the Smyrna Municipal Code is the town's energy efficiency standard for building work in the Town of Smyrna, Tennessee. Section 12-701 adopts the International Energy Conservation Code, 2024 edition, and modifications to it, and calls the result "the energy conservation code." The Town Council adopted the current Title 12 through Ordinance No. 26-13 on 3-10-2026, an ordinance that repealed the former Title 12 and enacted a new one.

Section 12-702 lists the local changes. The first inserts "Town of Smyrna, TN" as the jurisdiction name in Section 101.1. The second deletes Section R402.5.1.2 Testing and replaces it with the Testing Option and the Visual Inspection Option from the 2009 IECC. The third makes Section R403.3.7 Duct Testing Mandatory and Section R403.3.8 Duct Leakage (Prescriptive) optional. The fourth deletes the insulation and fenestration table and the equivalent U-factor table and substitutes Table 402.1.1 and Table 402.1.3 from the 2009 IECC. A builder working in Smyrna therefore reads the 2024 text together with these 2009 substitutions, not the 2024 model code alone.

Under Section 12-703, one copy of the energy code is kept on file in the Clerk's office for public inspection, a filing the section ties to T.C.A. § 6-54-502. Enforcement sits with the codes enforcement and inspection division. Section 12-901 places that division under the planning manager, and Section 12-903 makes it responsible for issuing and approving building and occupancy permits and for reviewing building plans. A owner who disagrees with the building official can appeal to the Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals by written notice to the building official within 30 calendar days after the decision, accompanied by the fees set in the fee schedule adopted with the budget ordinance (Section 12-1010). The Board meets within 30 calendar days after notice of appeal is received and must decide within 60 days of the hearing (Sections 12-1012 and 12-1013).

Violations & Fines

Section 12-704 makes it a civil offense to violate or fail to comply with any provision of the energy code as adopted and modified. The penalty cannot exceed the maximum limits state law authorizes, and each day a violation is allowed to continue counts as a separate offense. The chapter prints no dollar figure of its own, so the state-authorized maximum is the ceiling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which energy code does the Town of Smyrna, Tennessee enforce?
Section 12-701 adopts the International Energy Conservation Code, 2024 edition, together with the modifications in Section 12-702. The town calls the adopted package "the energy conservation code." The Town Council put it into the municipal code through Ordinance No. 26-13 on 3-10-2026, alongside 2024 editions of several other Title 12 codes.
Is duct leakage testing required in Smyrna?
No. Section 12-702 makes Section R403.3.7 Duct Testing Mandatory and Section R403.3.8 Duct Leakage (Prescriptive) optional. It also swaps the mandatory testing text in Section R402.5.1.2 for the Testing Option and Visual Inspection Option from the 2009 IECC, which gives builders a visual inspection path.
What happens if a project violates the energy code?
Section 12-704 treats a violation as a civil offense punishable by a penalty that does not exceed state authorized maximum limits. Each day the violation is allowed to continue is a separate offense, so the exposure grows daily until the work is brought into compliance with the adopted code.
Where can the adopted energy code be read?
Section 12-703 requires one copy of the energy code to be kept on file in the Clerk's office for the use and inspection of the public. The full text of Title 12 is also published in the Municode library for the Town of Smyrna, Tennessee municipal code.
Who decides appeals of energy code rulings in Smyrna?
The Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals hears appeals of decisions by the building official. Written notice goes to the building official within 30 calendar days after the decision, with the scheduled fee. The Board must meet within 30 calendar days of the notice and decide within 60 days of the hearing.

Sources & Official References

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