Partnership to Promote Energy Code Awareness

Why Are Energy Codes Important?

We will cover the following topics:Energy use of buildingsCosts to homeowners, state, and country of

homes that don’t meet national standardsApproaches for creating positive changeOpportunities to get involved in national

projects with multiple partner organizations

Impacts of Energy Use in Homes: An Overview

• Household budget• State/federal budgets• Energy supplies• Environmental

Household Budget

U.S. Household Energy Expenditures, for 2011:Residential: about $2,150Transportation: about $3,050Total: about $5,200EIA, Short Term Energy Outlook & The Alliance to Save Energy

The “energy burden” is larger for low income households; they spend almost 25 percent of household income on energy costs, while, alternatively, the average household spends around 5 percent on energy costs.

State/Federal Budgets• The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) enables

low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.

• The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assists low income households in meeting their immediate home energy needs. o FY 2010 LIHEAP national allocations

$4.51 Billion Regular Block Grant Funds$490 Million in Emergency Contingency Funds $1 Million in REACH Funds

Energy Supplies• Buildings consume 38.9% of end-use energy. (EIA)

• Population growth from 1990-2000, +9.67% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census)

• Energy codes can alleviate demand to the electrical grid and mitigate the high cost of adding and maintaining capacity. – How many power plants are planned for your state? What are the associated

costs? How much CO2 will it emit? Example: Kentucky currently has three power plants in the planning stages that will cost billions and emit over 15 million tons of particulate pollutants and CO2 .

Environmental

Air pollutants include carbon monoxide, lead, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter.

Role of Energy Codes

• National standard• Establishes energy performance baseline (not

high performance like Energy Star) as a minimum level for all homes

• Creates path for tracking and improving home performance by raising awareness of builders

• New consumer protections: help homeowners manage growing energy costs

Resistance to Energy Codes

• Confidence in current practice, business-as-usual

• Lack of information on quantity of energy wasted

• Lack of information about new national minimum requirements, techniques, materials

• Unsure of costs/benefits• Government as source of interference vs.

protection

Cost to Build Homes That Meet Energy Code Requirements

• The costs of the building to the 2009 IECC will add 0.3% in incremental costs, for a total of $773.92 per new home in Kentucky.

• For every month they own the home, however, homeowners will save $28—for a total of $336 per year. With these energy savings, the initial investment on their mortgage will pay of in only seven months, leaving them with an extra $25 per month, and a total of $148 extra in their pocket by the end of their first year in the house.

Wise Use of Taxpayer Dollars

• Building home “smart from the start” saves money; it can cost up to 5-times more to repair energy leaks and inefficiencies after the fact than building homes energy-efficient from the start.

• Average cost of retrofitting homes is $4,800 each, compared to a cost of $773.92 for builders to install energy savings measures right from the start in compliance with the updated code.

Energy Code Successes

• Austin, TX• Seattle, WA• State of California

Information on Energy Codes Home Builders Need

• Introduction to energy codes• Information on costs and savings• Information on how to comply with code

requirements • Energy codes compliance as an indicator of

construction quality

Information on Energy Codes Homeowners Need

• Introduction to codes as lead-in to energy codes

• Information on costs and savings• Information on how to identify code

compliance - Provide action steps and tools for home buyers

• Energy codes compliance as an indicator of construction quality

Homeowners Need a Voice in the Negotiations

Information needed:• Background information on energy codes• A few examples of simple energy code criteria• Action steps and tools for activists

Examples of Energy Code CriteriaWood-burning fireplaces must have gasketed doors

A home with a forced-air furnace heating system must have a

programmable thermostat

The IECC requires builders to post an IECC certificate near the electrical distribution box.

Energy Codes Support Building Professionals

• Consumers are happier with the performance and comfort of the homes they buy. They pay the upfront costs but also enjoy energy savings for a net benefit within a few short months.

• Energy codes support local economic development by keeping money in the local economy and create jobs. For example, provisions in the code create private sector jobs for third-party verification of air-tight ducts and building envelope.

Homeowners Can Support Energy Codes

• Action steps homeowners can take:1. Use the 2009 IECC checklist

o Look to see whether your current home meets code requirements

o If building a home, ask your contractor or builder questions about building to code requirements

o If buying a home, have your home inspector use the checklist to assess code compliance

2. Contact local building officials and government representatives to inquire about the status of energy code adoption and enforcement as a local priority

Activists Can Support Energy Codes Action steps1. Visit BCAP webpage to determine state and local code status2. Ask the local building department which energy code has been

adopted and is being enforced3. Go to city council meetings to initiate discussions on local energy

code adoption & enforcement. Link energy code with: o “Greening” your community, o Ensuring quality home construction, o Protecting low income residents from unaffordable utility costso Wise use of taxpayer dollars

4. Talk with area builders and architects – are they familiar with the energy code?

5. Contact your state energy office??

How Partners Can Get Involved

• Collaborate on information development• Collaborate on dissemination through events,

meetings, newsletters, websites• Educate members and the community at large• Other?

Next Steps

• Develop revised drafts of materials/information

• Circulate drafts for input by partners• Identify opportunities to educate groups• Schedule meetings/conference calls to

promote materials and information• Post/distribute materials and information

For more information, contact: