Codes & Standards News

A new report released August 9, 2023, by the Insurance Institute of Business and Home Safety (IBHS) and CoreLogic found modern building codes decreased the expected spike in post-hurricane mortgage delinquency rates by about 50 percent. Borrowers in homes built to modern building codes – which emerged in 2002 – were least likely to experience mortgage delinquency following a hurricane when all other factors were equal.

Read IBHS Press Release

Many states in the U.S. are passing new building codes and energy codes, or updating existing codes, to advance climate goals and achieve net-zero targets. Concerns over prohibitive costs are driving pushback from builders, architects, facilities managers and property owners, however, resulting in delayed implementation.

Read SmartCities Dive

Last week the EPA released an update on its Energy Star Most Efficient program, including proposed criteria for 2024. EPA officials say that updates to the program are needed “to recognize the best of Energy Star.” The agency is proposing changes for numerous categories including sliding glass doors and windows.

Read DWM

The U.S. General Services Administration’s Green Proving Ground program has selected 20 building technologies to test in buildings to decarbonize the built environment. Among the selection are several window retrofit technologies that aim to improve the performance of building envelopes.

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As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $90 million in competitive awards to help states, cities, tribes, and partnering organizations implement updated energy codes for buildings.

Read Renewable Energy Magazine

A bill that would stymie a years-long effort to make new North Carolina homes more energy efficient is on its way to Governor Roy Cooper’s desk. House Bill 488 prevents the N.C. Building Code Council from changing chapters of the state’s Residential Building Code that address energy, fuel gas or mechanical aspects of construction.

Read The News & Observer

Housing affordability is at a crisis in Massachusetts, and the building industry is raising concerns that it could get worse due to new building codes designed to fight climate change.

Read CBS News

The Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) recently voted to delay the July 1st effective date for the state’s 2021 codes to October 29, 2023.

Read San Juan Islander

Last week, Vermont’s Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, or LCAR, voted to move forward with a new building residential energy standard, but they delayed its effective date to July 2024, based on concerns voiced by architects and builders that requirements in the proposed new code would warrant more training and oversight for contractors and builders.

Read VTDigger

With the American dream of home ownership increasingly out of reach and many struggling to pay rent, North Carolina developers opposed to new energy efficient construction rules are hinging their cause to the need of affordable housing.

Read Energy News Network