Any county, city, or village may adopt and enforce a local energy code. Such local energy code shall be deemed equivalent to the Nebraska Energy Code if it does not result in energy consumption greater than would result from the strict application of the Nebraska Energy Code and is reasonably consistent with the intent of sections 81-1608 to 81-1626. Any building or portion thereof subject to the jurisdiction of and inspected by such county, city, or village shall be deemed to comply with sections 81-1608 to 81-1626 if it meets the standards of such local energy code. Such county, city, or village may by ordinance or resolution prescribe a schedule of fees sufficient to pay the costs incurred pursuant to sections 81-1608 to 81-1626.

Any county, city, or village which adopts and enforces a local energy code may waive a specific requirement of the Nebraska Energy Code when meeting such requirement is not economically justified. The local code authority shall submit to the department its analysis for determining that a specific requirement is not justified. The department shall review such analysis and transmit its findings and conclusions to the local code authority within a reasonable time. The local code authority shall submit to the department its explanation as to how the original code or any revised code addresses the issues raised by the department. After a local code authority has submitted such explanation, the authority may proceed to enforce its local energy code.