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Members Urged to Help Defeat Costly Code Changes
Rolling back onerous and costly insulation code requirements is the goal of a major grassroots effort launched last week during NAHB’s spring board of directors meeting in Washington, D.C.
At the center of the campaign are changes approved during the 2003/2004 code development cycle of the International Code Council (ICC) that increase the wall insulation required for wood-framed construction, forcing builders to change conventional construction practices and adding $600-$1,000 to the cost of an average new home. The changes would become part of the International Conservation Code in 2006.
“NAHB fought hard to defeat this, and the Department of Energy agreed with us,” said David Pressly, first vice president of NAHB. “But we lost by one vote” during recent code hearings in Cincinnati, he said.
At final ICC hearings, which will be held in Detroit in late September and early October, NAHB will be seeking support for EC-16/04-05, a proposal to roll back the requirements to more reasonable, cost-effective levels.
An independent study by the Department of Energy showed that the new requirements add at least $600 to an average home but save home owners only about $15 a year in energy costs. Depending on climate, it would take consumers 40-90 years to recoup the cost of the additional insulation. An average home buyer lives in a new home for seven to 10 years, which is a more appropriate payback period for home energy efficiency improvements, according to NAHB.
Builders would be required to do one of three things to meet the proposed code changes scheduled to take effect next year:
- Move from 2x4 construction to 2x6 construction
- Use a costly high-density fiberglass product
- Attach additional insulation to the outside face of exterior walls
All three options have significant drawbacks.
Moving from 2x4 to 2x6 walls would take an additional $1,000 worth of lumber to build an average new home, because insulation types like sprayed cellulose and expanding foams cannot achieve the overly stringent energy levels in standard 2x4 construction.
High-density fiberglass insulation is not readily available in some regions, and costs twice as much as regular density insulation.
And attaching insulated sheathing to the exteriors of walls adds additional costs for materials and labor, takes away a secure nailing surface and requires extra bracing and jamb extensions.
NAHB is urging its members to tell their code officials why the code provision should be restored to a more sensible level, and to support NAHB’s EC-16 proposal at this fall’s final code hearing.
“There’s still a chance we can keep this insulation change from being permanent,” said Pressly. “But we need our members’ help.”
A variety of tools are available online to help members make the case to their local officials, including background materials, talking points and a sample letter. View them at www.nahb.org/EC16; or e-mail John Loyer, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8303.
‘2003 International Residential Code’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “2003 International Residential Code,” available through BuilderBooks.com, is an essential resource for all residential builders and a companion to the IBC. Included are the latest technological advances in building design and construction, provisions for the prescriptive steel framing and energy criteria. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
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