Building Codes in St. Louis County

By Gretchen Waddell Barwick, MO Chapter Staff

Energy efficient homes help keep our air clean and prevent the overuse of natural resources. In turn, this keeps our planet clean, our bills low and our bodies healthy. Energy efficiency benefits our planet, our pocketbooks and our community.

One way to increase energy efficiency in our communities is through building codes. Saint Louis County has started the process to update their building codes from the 2009 international standard with multiple amendments to the new 2015 international standard--this would mean a 35% increase in energy efficiency.

Unfortunately, special interest groups like the St. Louis Home Builders Association proposed dozens of amendments that stripped the code of nearly all energy-saving measures. In one particularly egregious move, the Building Codes Review Committee voted to remove programmable thermostat requirements from new homes.

Programmable thermostats are a highly cost-efficient tool that allows consumers to save money. In addition, programmable thermostats create a more comfortable home and are an inexpensive way to make a large impact in efficiency.

Fortunately, the fight is not over. Join the Sierra Club at the 14th Annual Green Homes Festival on Saturday June 20 at the Butterfly House in Faust Park and sign our petition to the Building Commission. Or, to learn more contact Gretchen at (314) 644-1011, gretchen.waddellbarwick@sierraclub.org.