2008 Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC), Chapter 11

NOTE: This code may no longer be used after October 1, 2011.

The current residential code, the 2008 Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC) for 1-2 family residential dwellings, is based on the 2006 International Residential Code. Chapter 11 for energy efficiency is as stringent as the 2006 IECC and is 15% more efficient that the previous 2005 ORSC edition. State-developed CodeComp software may be used to show compliance.

Effective July 1, 2011, the requirements of the state's updated residential code, Chapter 11 of the 2011 Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC), will be identical to Chapter 4 of the 2010 Oregon Energy Efficiency Specialty Code (OEESC). This will be 10% more efficient than the current residential code, the 2008 ORSC. There will be a 90-day phase-in period through October 1, 2011.

This represents the state's first building energy efficiency provisions published as a stand-alone code and based on the IECC. According to the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD), the code will achieve:

• Around 10% energy savings beyond the previous Oregon residential requirements; and
• Around 15% energy savings beyond the previous Oregon commercial requirements by making changes in three main areas: requiring increased insulation and energy-efficient windows, adding automatic lighting controls, and requiring more efficient mechanical systems.

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