economy

Green codes would add $14,000 to cost of new homes, Energy Department warns

Updated green codes would add $14,000 to the cost of new homes, Energy Department officials said Friday, adding a significant burden to the already sky-high cost of housing.

Green codes would add $14,000 to cost of new homes, Energy Department warns

TL;DR

  • Updated green codes could increase the cost of new single-family homes by up to $14,000.
  • The adoption of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is projected to add over $9.2 billion annually to residential construction costs.
  • Energy Secretary Chris Wright criticized these mandates for increasing housing costs and reducing consumer choice.
  • The IECC is a model building code developed by the International Code Council to set energy efficiency standards for new buildings.
  • States are required to consider adopting variations of these codes.
  • The Trump administration has historically opposed energy efficiency standards that increase consumer costs.