Lawmakers mull energy-saving plans for homes

PORTLAND – With the cost of heating fuel at near-record levels, the Legislature is poised to take up two proposals intended to promote energy efficiency for newly constructed homes.

One measure introduced Thursday calls for adoption of a statewide uniform building code together with energy-efficiency standards. Maine is the only New England state without such mandatory standards for new homes.

The other proposal, backed by environmentalists and some home builders, would establish minimum standards for insulation and energy-saving windows while providing tax incentives for new homes built to save even more energy.

Conservationists say the statewide code would save homeowners money and reduce global warming pollution from the burning of heating fuel.

“We believe that people deserve to know that their home meets some minimum standard,” said Dylan Voorhees of the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

The proposed standards are considered a minimum and are not expected to make homes less affordable to buy. But supporters say they would make some homes more affordable to live in by holding down heating costs.

Whether the proposals face opposition remains to be seen. In the past, the Maine Municipal Association has expressed concern about the cost and enforcement burden on the many towns that have no building codes or code enforcement officers.

The uniform code proposal before the Legislature would set up a system to train and register private inspectors, who could be hired by builders to certify that new homes meet the standards.