The international group that sets the building codes adopted by a wide swath of U.S. cities and counties has suddenly backed away from plans to force new homes to be climate-friendly.
The International Code Council (ICC), a Washington, D.C.-based organization that regularly issues more than a dozen codes that regulate new construction and affect tens of millions of people across the country, recently , announced that the board had finally rejected the climate change provisions advocated by industry experts. This leads to an increase in costs. Finalizing the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) addressed criticism that the original draft gave too much priority to tackling climate change at the expense of energy efficiency.
The group said in a statement that the 2024 IECC will also achieve energy efficiency gains of 7% for residential buildings and 10% for commercial buildings, but will require jurisdictions to adopt more aggressive green measures. He said he had a choice.
Karen Herbert, president and CEO of the American Gas Association (AGA), said, “The ICC Board of Directors is committed to removing these highly problematic provisions from the code base and increasing America’s energy efficiency. I made the right decision.” statement.
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According to the International Code Council’s original proposal, new homes would need to be built with electrical infrastructure for home electric vehicle chargers, solar panel systems, and all-electric appliances. (Getty Images)
“This is further evidence of how fundamental natural gas and our nation’s supply system are to protecting America’s energy security and achieving our environmental goals and economic prosperity.”
AGA is the nation’s largest trade association representing natural gas service providers, as well as other energy industry associations, housing groups, and the Northeast regional chapter of the ICC. The company filed an appeal in early January challenging the original version of the 2024 Energy Efficiency Standard.
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In separate filings, the groups argued that the ICC violated due process requirements when developing the IECC, and that the code’s green provisions harm both consumers and businesses. However, the ICC’s Appeals Committee recommended dismissing those appeals earlier this month, leaving the final decision to the organization’s board of directors.
Among the objections: The IECC draft, which has been in development for years, would require new single- and duplex homes and townhouses to have electrical infrastructure for home electric vehicle chargers. The content was included. Newly built homes will also be required to install solar panel systems and electrical wiring for all electrical appliances.
The energy efficiency law would affect jurisdictions in 48 states, home to 119 million Americans. (Dave Einsel/Getty Images)
These measures and other provisions were largely included in the IECC as part of an omnibus package in September 2022, after being rejected through the regular process, the AGA said. The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), a trade group for consumer electronics manufacturers that also objected to the IECC draft, further warned that the proposed code could lead to legal challenges.
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“AHRI and its member companies are committed to improving energy efficiency and, in fact, manufacture some of the most energy-efficient heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and water heating equipment in the world, but IECC regulations have caused pre-emption issues. “If a particular state or locality is less likely to implement it, the overall energy savings will be lower if it increases the likelihood of litigation,” said AHRI President and CEO. Steven Yurek said.
A flame burns in a natural gas stove. Environmentalists are targeting gas-powered appliances such as stoves. (AP Photo/Thomas Kientzl, File)
In addition to AGA and AHRI, the American Public Gas Association, the Building Owners and Managers Association, the National Multifamily Housing Council, and the ICC’s own Northeast regional chapter filed the appeal.
Collectively, jurisdictions spanning 48 states and representing more than 119 million Americans administer the IECC. ICC CEO Dominic Sims said late last year that the code was an essential tool to “achieve energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
“The IECC (like other international codes) is a model code, and its adoption and modification are at the discretion of state and local governments,” said Gabe Macer, ICC’s senior vice president for government relations. ICC Senior Vice President of Government Relations Gabe Macer told FOX News Digital in a statement.
“This inherent flexibility, combined with the menu of options offered by the latest IECC, will enable local governments to decide how best to address their unique community goals.”
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The Biden administration separately announced that it would redirect $1 billion in grants allocated under the Inflation Control Act to help more jurisdictions implement the ICC’s IECC.
