Energy Cost

The implementation of building energy codes serves one major purpose: saving energy. Buildings are a relatively untapped source for energy savings, as the construction and operation of buildings in the U.S. accounts for over 40% of all domestic energy consumed. Reducing the energy used by buildings can save money for homeowners, companies, and other property owners who can them reinvest in the economy. For more resources on the topic of energy cost and savings, please click here.

New Report Compares Cost-Effectiveness Methodologies As Congress Considers Requirements For Energy Code Updates

Posted on by Kamaria Greenfield
A significant proposal before Congress would require proposed energy code changes to be evaluated for their cost-effectiveness prior to inclusion in a code. The proposal before Congress designates simple payback as the principal basis for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of proposed energy code changes, but two other methods for determining cost-effectiveness are Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Mortgage Cash-Flow (MCF). When assessing efficiency measures, it is important to include energy and cash sa...
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My View: Utah Needs New Energy Codes That Make Buildings, Homes More Efficient

Posted on by Kamaria Greenfield
By David Brems and Kevin Emerson via Deseret News Air pollution is a top concern for Utah citizens. So is financial stability. Improving our air quality while saving money for Utahns is a win-win opportunity. This summer, decision-makers will be voting whether or not to adopt up-to-date building energy codes that will help new homes and buildings constructed in Utah cut energy waste, lower air pollution and reduce Utahns’ energy bills. The average Utah home wastes far too much energy bec...
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New Calculator Tool Empowers States To Use Building Energy Codes To Comply With The Clean Power Plan

Posted on by Kamaria Greenfield
MEDIA CONTACT: William D. Fay; bfay@ase.org; 202-530-2214 CARBON REDUCTIONS A SIGNIFICANT BY-PRODUCT OF EFFECTIVE ENERGY CODES THAT ALSO SAVE BUILDING AND HOMEOWNERS MONEY Washington, D.C., May 12, 2015 – Building energy codes – which have the potential to cut tens of thousands of dollars from the utility bills of home and commercial building owners – also have an interesting by-product: they can reduce hundreds of millions of metric tons of CO2. Today, the Alliance to S...
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New Homes Must Meet 2009 IECC to Qualify For Federal Mortgage Insurance

Posted on by Kamaria Greenfield
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) determined last week that the adoption of the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for single family homes and the 2007 edition of ASHRAE 90.1 for multifamily buildings will have zero negative impact on the affordability and availability of certain HUD- and USDA-assisted housing, specified in section 481 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). 2009 IECC and A...
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Taking a Closer Look at Commercial Construction Data

Posted on by Kamaria Greenfield
More regional energy efficiency organizations are examining commercial construction data to gain insights into the commercial construction trends and the economic impact of building energy code adoption and implementation on the construction trends. Raw construction data on permits can provide valuable information especially when paired with volume and accuracy. Permit data helps understand the state of both current and future market. It helps understand what kind of impact newer state-level ene...
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Energy Codes Boost Development

Posted on by Kamaria Greenfield
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (12/31/2014), written by Mandy Mahoney, Judy Knight and Lauren Westmoreland This op-ed highlights the results of the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance's (SEEA) recent codes research, confirming that the adoption of stronger energy codes across the Southeast has no adverse effect on commercial construction activity. In Georgia, when the state adopted the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with Georgia State Supplements and Amendments in 2011, i...
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Less Than 100 Days To Comment On EPA’s Clean Power Plan

Posted on by Kamaria Greenfield
In June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a historic plan under the Clean Air Act’s Section 111(d) to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the nation’s largest source: existing power plants. Because 71 percent of America’s electricity is consumed by residential and commercial buildings, building energy codes – which have proven to be among the most cost effective measures to reduce carbon emissions – should be a prominent part of the menu of options tha...
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High-R Wall Construction Strategies: Reducing Costs And Risk While Increasing Energy Performance

Posted on by Kamaria Greenfield
by Seul Rhee The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America research program has been a source of innovations in residential building energy performance, durability, quality, affordability and comfort for nearly 20 years. This world-class research program partners with industry (including many of the top U.S. homebuilders) to bring cutting-edge innovations and resources to market. The NAHB Research Center Building America industry team's high-R wall system research focuses primarily on incre...
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New Model Energy Code Will Boost Energy Efficiency

Posted on by Kamaria Greenfield
The votes that will have the most profound impact on national energy and environmental policy this year were not held in Washington or a state capital, but by governmental officials assembled by the International Code Council (ICC) in Charlotte, NC," said William Fay, Executive Director of the broad-based Energy Efficient Codes Coalition (EECC). The ICC votes to improve the efficiency of the next edition of America’s model energy code governing home and commercial building constructi...
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