May 13, 2013
by John Hickey, Chapter Director
First, the bad news. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) just named
Missouri #44 out of 50 states in energy efficiency. That means that we Missourians are paying higher utility bills while generating more pollution.
Now, the good news. Thanks to pressure from the Sierra Club and our allies, the International Code Council recently approved a much stronger model energy efficiency code for residential
buildings. This code, the IECC 2012, is 30% more energy efficient than the 2006 version, which is currently in use in many areas in Missouri, including Kansas City and Springfield.
Now, cities and counties in Missouri can adopt this new model building code. This would provide a double benefit, including:
1) Cleaner Air – buildings consume about 75% of the electricity generated in the U.S., and produce about 40% of the total greenhouse gases emitted in the U.S. More efficient buildings means less dirty coal being burned, and less mercury, soot, and carbon dioxide in the air.
2) Lower Utility bills – by reducing energy use by 30%, building codes will drastically reduce monthly utility bills being paid by Missouri consumers.
Incorporating efficiency measures when the house is being built is much more effective than retrofitting the building after it is constructed. According to research by the Building Codes Assistance Project, new homes built to the IECC 2009 efficiency codes will generate enough utility bill savings in 14 months to pay for the additional front-end home-building costs. After that, all the utility savings are gravy. On the other hand, when I recently improved my old house (built in 1915) with efficiency measures such as a high-efficiency furnace, increased attic insulation, and a programmable thermostat, I calculated that my lower utility bills will pay for that investment in about seven years. The lesson: let’s implement energy efficient building codes now.
How? Engaged citizens can make a difference. Sierra Club members including Sue Tillema, Dick Parker, and Winifred Colwill testified in favor of stronger energy codes at the Columbia City Council on 3/21/11; the Council approved more energy efficient codes that same night. In the City of St. Louis, longtime Club member Alderman Phyllis Young successfully passed a more efficient code effective on 11/8/10.
But energy efficient codes will not happen by themselves. Join our campaign to educate building codes officials and consumers why energy efficient building codes are an important
policy for Missouri. Email me at john.hickey@sierraclub.org, to get involved!