At present, the building codes in the U.S. are written by state and local governments, and no one standard exists. Now, as it’s become clear that buildings are a huge (40%) factor in green-house gas emissions, the climate change bill being considered in congress may force that to change. The current climate propsal being worked on in the senate includes a national building code imposing a minimum energy efficiency standard for all new buildings (currently, there are only voluntary national codes).
The bill includes a goal of net-zero carbon emissions for all new buildings by 2030, and seems to be a good idea for moving in the direction of real change. But it is not without countroversy.
As the U.S. is composed of vastly different climates, the NAHB and other opponents say that it will be a mistake to write a national code imposed in all areas. The expenses are also a factor.
On the other hand, there are some municipalities that are way behind in their codes… so as a nation, what can be done so that advanced localities don’t have to pick up their slack?
As homeowners and builders, what do you think? Is a mandatory national code a good idea? If it is not appropriate for the US, how should we combat the problem of the huge number of new buildings that are still “gas-guzzlers”? Is it simply too early for national law? Please let us know what you think.
(for more info, see article, The Wall Street Journal)