Upgrading new homes in Tennessee’s Climate Zone 3 to the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) will reduce out-of-pocket expenses for homeowners – paying off their initial investment in a matter of months.
For the average new home, the 2012 IECC will only increase construction costs by a total of $2,194. When this amount is rolled into the average mortgage, real costs to homebuyers will mean a down payment increase of only $439, and $8 extra on monthly mortgage bills.
The added mortgage costs will be o ffset by monthly energy savings of $34, helping homebuyers pay o ff their initial investment in only 18 months. After breaking even during this time, the home will return buyers a profit of at least $25 per month – for a total return of $303 every year.