programs SECO

State-Funded Buildings

Energy and Water Conservation Design Standards for State Agencies

(Revisions effective Jan. 1, 2021)

The Comptroller of Public Accounts’ State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) amended Title 34, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 19, Subchapter C, Rule §19.32 to update the Energy and Water Conservation Design Standards and adopted by reference minimum energy efficiency and water conservation design standards for state agencies and institutions of higher education.

SECO adopted the following updated standards effective Jan. 1, 2021.

New Construction and Major Renovation

For state agencies and state-funded institutions of higher education, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.1-2016 is the minimum energy standard for new construction and major renovation projects. Projects must also comply with all errata sheets published by the ASHRAE Standards Committee. Alternatively, state agencies may use the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code as published by the International Code Council.

Statutory reference: 34 Tex. Admin. Code §19.32

Low-rise Residential

The minimum energy standard for any new construction or major renovation of a low-rise residential building with a design assignment made on or after Jan. 1, 2021 is the residential chapter of the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, as published by the International Code Council.

Water Conservation Design Standards

Effective Jan. 1, 2021, SECO adopts by reference the "Water Conservation Design Standards for State Buildings and Institutions of Higher Education Facilities" prepared by SECO, dated April 2020, as the water conservation design standards for any new construction or major renovation project. Visit our Texas Water Conservation Design Standards page, to download the 2020 or 2016 water conservation design standards.

Statutory reference: 34 Tex. Admin. Code §19.32

SECO Compliance Certification Forms

Before beginning construction of a new state building or a major renovation project, a state agency or an institution of higher education must submit to SECO a copy of the certification, either by the design architect or engineer, verifying that the construction or renovation complies with the standards established under 34 TAC §19.34, including engineering documentation. Forms are available via these links:

Note: A water compliance certification form also is now required for state buildings.

Mail completed compliance forms, including verification documentation, to:

State Energy Conservation Office
Attn: Justin Gamboa
111 E. 17th St., Suite 610D
Austin, TX 78701

ASHRAE Interactive 90.1-2016 Compliance Forms

SECO also requires submission of the following forms with documentation for state-funded buildings. Please note that these PDFs can be modified (with Adobe Professional), saved to a hard drive and printed.

ASHRAE Compliance forms (interactive PDFs) for demonstrating compliance with ASHRAE-90-1-2016.

Code History

State-funded Commercial Buildings
Effective Dates Code
June 1, 1989 – Aug. 12, 2002 Texas Design Standard
Aug. 13, 2002 – Aug. 31, 2005 ASHRAE 90.1-1999
Sept. 1, 2005 – Dec. 31, 2008 ASHRAE 90.1-2004
Jan. 1, 2009 – Aug. 31, 2011 ASHRAE 90.1-2007
Sept. 1, 2011 – May 31, 2016 ASHRAE 90.1-2010
June 1, 2016 – Dec. 31, 2020 ASHRAE 90.1-2013/2015 IECC
Jan. 1, 2021 ASHRAE 90.1-2016 or 2018 IECC
State-funded Residential Buildings
Effective Dates Code
June 1, 1989 – 1993 Texas Design Standard
1993 – Aug. 31, 2005 1993 CABO MEC
Sept. 1, 2005 – May 31, 2011 2003 IECC
June 1, 2011 – May 31, 2016 2009 IECC
June 1, 2016 – Dec. 31, 2020 2015 IECC
Jan. 1, 2021 2018 IECC