The groups had sued because nonprofit PublicResource.org had posted the codes to its website, making them available to anyone without compensation for the organizations that created them.

President Barack Obama signed a proclamation April 29 denoting the month of May as a 31-day celebrating of building safety. 

The theme will be used during May's festivities, officials said.

“ASHRAE remains hopeful that Congress will ultimately demonstrate its support for market-driven energy efficiency by enacting legislation that protects the development, adoption and implementation of private sector-led, consensus-based model building energy codes,” said society President David Underwood.