1. Best of Region and Northwest Benchmark Standard (NWBEST) for the

2. Background – General Climate Efforts by utilities and stakeholders have increasingly moved to regional viewpoints over the past 10 years. Interest has increased in standardizing both conservation programs and energy codes at the national level. RTF has had discussions regarding standards for Power Plan measures.

3. High Level Project Goals: Develop a standardized framework for energy code language that can accommodate regional differences. Provide model language that reflects the most efficient approach to a given component or practice. Develop a planning tool to guide program targeting and development, which can be periodically updated as technologies and practices improve.

4. This Project IS NOT: An attempt to force any state or jurisdiction to adopt any particular code language. This is a voluntary standard to serve as a model and starting place for program and code planning. An ecoterrorist plot to incorporate national codes into our pristine Northwest territory. An ecoterrorist plot to kill any attempt to incorporate national codes into our pristine Northwest territory.

5. Specific Project Goals Phase I: Develop “Best of Region” energy code language to serve as the evaluation baseline. This standard will capture the most stringent regional requirements for each component or practice. Phase II: Develop Northwest Benchmark Energy Standards (NWBEST) that extends the Best of Region to achieve 15% more cost-effective efficiency through new approaches or more stringent requirements.

6. Technical Working Group First Step: Develop a Technical Working Group (TWG) of code officials and interested professionals (Alliance). Work with the TWG to identify and standardize most efficient existing provisions. Work with TWG to identify potential areas for improvement.

7. Analysis Provide model code language to represent the existing Best of Region provisions. Conduct high level cost/benefit screen for measures identified for possible inclusion in the NWBEST. Conduct more rigorous cost/benefit analysis for a small number of (mostly emerging) measures. Develop language that could be incorporated into future energy codes if desired.

8. Results Best of Region standard. NWBEST standard. Method of updating NWBEST as technologies and practices improve over time.

9. Benefits Language that unifies disparate codes currently enforced and moves the region forward. Set of measures that have been reviewed by a range of interested professionals for feasibility, applicability, cost effectiveness, implications, etc. Broad planning tool applicable to the development of state, regional, and national code adoptions strategies as well as voluntary programs.