How to Complete and Submit the REScheck Energy Compliance Form

To complete a REScheck report, gather the dimensions, insulation R-values, and window ratings for every part of your building envelope, enter them into the free REScheck-Web tool for the code edition your jurisdiction enforces, and submit the signed passing report with your building permit application. REScheck is a U.S. Department of Energy software tool that checks whether a home’s envelope meets the International Energy Conservation Code or an applicable state energy code, and it is available at no cost through the DOE’s Building Energy Codes Program website.¹

The tool applies to detached one- and two-family homes and to multi-family buildings three stories or fewer above grade, including apartments, condominiums, and townhouses.¹ New construction is the usual trigger, but additions and alterations that change the envelope generally require an updated report too.

Confirm the Code Edition Your Jurisdiction Enforces

Before you open the software, find out which energy code your local building department enforces. Most statewide residential codes are based on some edition of the IECC, but states frequently amend the model code or adopt older versions.² REScheck supports the 2009 through 2024 editions of the IECC, plus a handful of state-specific codes for jurisdictions such as Florida, Massachusetts, New York City, and Vermont.¹ Using the wrong edition is one of the most common reasons a report gets rejected at the permit counter, so make the call and confirm before you start entering data.

Gather Your Inputs First

REScheck asks for specific numbers about every part of the building envelope. Collecting them before you sit down at the screen saves a lot of back-and-forth.

Climate Zone and Project Location

Every calculation depends on the project’s IECC climate zone. The IECC divides the country into thermal climate zones numbered 0 through 8, with higher numbers representing colder climates.³ The software assigns the zone automatically when you enter the project address, so verify that the address is correct. Reusing an old project file without updating the location is a fast way to invalidate the entire analysis.

Envelope Dimensions

You need the gross area, in square feet, of every surface that separates conditioned space from unconditioned space or the outdoors: exterior walls, ceiling or roof assemblies, and any floors over garages or crawlspaces. For slab-on-grade foundations, measure the perimeter in linear feet instead of square footage. Inspectors compare the report against what they see on site, so measure carefully.

Insulation R-Values

For each assembly, document the R-value of the insulation you plan to install. You need separate R-values for wall cavities, any continuous exterior insulation, ceiling insulation, floor insulation, and any basement or crawlspace wall insulation. The insulation type also matters, because the software treats fiberglass batts, spray foam, rigid boards, and other materials differently.

Window, Skylight, and Door Ratings

Fenestration entries require two ratings. The U-factor measures the rate of non-solar heat flow through the assembly, and lower is better. The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures how much solar radiation passes through the glass, and lower is generally better in warm climates. Both numbers appear on the NFRC certification label attached to new windows and doors at purchase.⁴ Leave those stickers on until after the final inspection.

Choose REScheck-Web Over the Desktop Version

The DOE offers two versions. REScheck-Web runs in any standard browser with no installation. REScheck Desktop is a downloadable Windows application. For anything new, use the web version: the DOE has stated that support for the 2018, 2021, and 2024 IECC and all future editions will only be available in REScheck-Web, and the desktop application will eventually lose support.¹ If your jurisdiction enforces the 2024 IECC, the desktop version won’t work at all.

Enter Each Envelope Assembly

After you select the code edition and enter the project location, you build the report by adding envelope assemblies one at a time. The software organizes them into five categories, each with construction types you pick from a dropdown.⁵

Ceilings: flat ceiling or scissor truss, cathedral ceiling, raised or energy truss, steel truss, steel joist, structural insulated panels (SIPs), and others.
Above-grade walls: wood frame (16-inch or 24-inch on-center), steel frame, solid concrete or masonry, masonry block (empty cells or integral insulation), log walls, SIPs, insulated concrete forms, and others.
Basement and crawlspace walls: solid concrete or masonry, masonry block, wood frame, and insulated concrete forms.
Floors: all-wood joist or truss, steel frame, slab-on-grade, and SIPs.
Fenestration: separate entries for windows, skylights, and doors.

For each assembly, enter the area, the construction type, the insulation R-value, and any additional details the software requests (continuous insulation thickness, framing spacing, and so on). For fenestration, enter the total area along with the U-factor and SHGC for each product type. If your windows come from different manufacturers with different ratings, enter them as separate line items rather than averaging.

Read the Pass or Fail Result

REScheck does not require every component to meet the prescriptive code minimum on its own. It runs a trade-off analysis that compares your proposed design’s total heat loss to a reference building of the same size and shape that exactly meets the code. For code editions through the 2021 IECC, this is a U-factor × Area (UA) calculation: the software multiplies each assembly’s U-factor by its area, sums them, and checks whether your building’s total UA is at or below the reference building’s total UA.¹

In practice, that means you can compensate for a weaker component by exceeding code somewhere else. Thicker attic insulation, for example, can offset windows with a slightly higher U-factor than the prescriptive requirement. The flexibility has limits. Under the 2024 IECC, the calculation is now called the Component Performance Alternative and uses a thermal conductance (TC) value that adds slab F-factor × perimeter to the equation. Slab-on-grade assemblies can no longer participate in the trade-off at all: each slab must independently meet the code’s minimum insulation R-value and depth.¹

When the numbers work, the software generates a report marked Pass. If total heat loss exceeds the reference, you get Fail, and you need to upgrade materials or adjust the design until it passes.

Sign and Submit With Your Permit Application

A passing report must be signed by the person responsible for the building’s design before submission. The DOE does not restrict who can use the software; it’s designed for builders, designers, and contractors alike.¹ Your local jurisdiction may still require that construction documents be prepared by a registered design professional (a licensed architect or engineer) depending on state professional licensing laws.⁶ Check with your building department first, especially if you are an owner-builder without a licensed contractor.

The signed report goes into your building permit application. Most building departments review it alongside the rest of your construction documents. There is no separate DOE submission; everything goes to your local jurisdiction, and energy code review fees are typically bundled into the overall permit fee.

What Inspectors Verify During Construction

Filing a passing report is only the first half. Inspectors use the REScheck report as a checklist during site visits, verifying that the installed materials match what you submitted. They check insulation types and R-values in wall cavities, attics, and floors, and they confirm that installed windows and doors carry NFRC labels matching the U-factors and SHGC values in the report.¹ Keep manufacturer documentation and NFRC stickers on all fenestration products until the final inspection.

Under the 2024 IECC, residential projects must also pass a blower door test to verify air tightness. This goes beyond what REScheck itself calculates but is verified at the same inspection stage. Maximum allowable air leakage under the prescriptive path varies by climate zone: 4.0 air changes per hour (ACH) in Climate Zones 0 through 2, 3.0 ACH in Zones 3 through 5, and 2.5 ACH in Zones 6 through 8.⁷ Passing on paper and failing the blower door still holds up your certificate of occupancy.

If an inspector finds installed materials that don’t match the report, you’ll get a list of non-compliant items. Remediation usually means fixing the discrepancy directly: adding insulation where it’s thin, replacing windows that don’t meet the specified U-factor, or improving air sealing at penetrations. In some cases, you have to remove finished materials to reach the problem area, which is why catching errors before drywall goes up matters so much. After corrections, you schedule a re-inspection.

Mistakes That Get Reports Rejected

Most REScheck problems come from a short list of avoidable errors.

Wrong code edition. Using the 2018 IECC when your jurisdiction enforces the 2021 or 2024 edition gets the report rejected at the counter.
Incorrect climate zone. Usually caused by a wrong address or a reused project file. Every insulation and fenestration target flows from the zone.
Mismatched field conditions. The report says R-38 in the attic and the installer put in R-30, or the window schedule lists a 0.30 U-factor and the delivered product is 0.35. These paper-to-reality gaps are the single most common reason inspections fail.
Overlooking the 2024 slab-on-grade rule. Slab insulation can no longer be traded off against other assemblies; each slab must independently meet the code minimum. Builders used to earlier editions sometimes miss this.¹
Missing NFRC labels. If the labels have been removed or damaged before the inspector arrives, you may need replacement documentation from the manufacturer to prove the product ratings.

1
U.S. Department of Energy. REScheck
2
Climate Policy Dashboard. Residential Energy Codes
3
ICC. IECC 2021 Chapter 3 CE General Requirements
4
Efficient Windows Collaborative. NFRC Label – NFRC Consumer Guide to Windows
5
U.S. Department of Energy. REScheck Technical Support Document
6
U.S. Department of Energy. Are Projects Required to Be Completed by a Registered Design Professional
7
ICC. IECC 2024 Chapter 4 RE Residential Energy Efficiency