Updated Home Energy Efficiency Standards Could Affect 1 in 4 Homes

On April 25, the US Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture announced final energy efficiency standards for new home construction. The refreshed standards will impact up to a quarter of all new homes nationwide and will cut energy bills by up to a third, paying for the efficiency improvements within two years on average. The affected units include affordable housing apartments and ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019.

The updated standard will help prevent high bills during hot weather — and, critically, will protect families from heat waves. For example,) estimated that during a 7-day heat wave and power outage in Houston, Texas, a house built to the 2021 IECC would stay at safe temperature and humidity levels for the entire week, while a typical house would only remain safe for four days.

Northern states will also benefit from the updated standards’ impact. Households are projected to save over $18,000 on their housing and energy bills over a 30-year mortgage in several northerly and mountainous states, including Alaska, Maine, Iowa, the Dakotas, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

The updated codes’ efficiency and resilience benefits could be secured for even more families. The Federal Housing Finance Agency , in its role as regulator and conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , could adopt 2021 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2019 as minimum energy standards for all homes whose mortgages they acquire.

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