BUILDING A BETTER HOUSE

Maine has one of the nation’s oldest housing stocks, which translates into higher heating costs. But new houses, built with the northern climate in mind, should be far more energy-efficient, right? Not necessarily, according to Dylan Voorhees of the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

A recent survey found that 85 percent of new homes in Maine do not meet the minimum standards of an energy building code used in 40 states, including the other five New England states. NRCM is backing LD 2179, “An Act to Promote Energy Conservation,” which would have the state adopt the model energy building code.

About 7,500 new homes are built each year in Maine, and heating them accounts for 65 percent of home energy use. The best time to install the right amount of insulation and energy-saving windows and doors is during construction, not after the house is completed. Though efficient furnaces and boilers and new fuels such as wood pellets can mean significant savings for homeowners, the state’s Office of Energy Independence and Security notes that even more substantial savings can be realized by buttoning up the house. For every $1 spent improving insulation, a homeowner saves $3 over a 10-year period, the office reports.

The energy code would not necessarily translate into more expensive houses, according to NRCM, because it would instead nudge contractors toward proven best practices. Any additional building costs will be recouped quickly in lower heating bills. The bill has the support of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Maine, a testament to its reasonable and common-sense recommendations, Mr. Voorhees said.

MaineHousing, the state agency which helps build affordable residences, has been using the new energy standards for a few years, he said.

The code would provide standards for the amount of insulation in walls and attics, glazing in windows, and – a relatively new area of focus – encourage insulation for foundations. If approved, LD 2179 would create training programs for energy code inspectors and require inspections so building contractors and new home buyers would know how well a building is constructed as far as energy use is concerned. Cities and towns could train their code enforcement officers to do the energy inspections; small communities could hire independent inspectors.

The State Planning Office is proposing a similar though more comprehensive bill which would create a statewide building code that includes many of the energy standards. The building code push came from a resolution passed last year by the Legislature. The building code would apply only to towns with populations of 2,000 or more.

In addition to savings for consumers, energy-efficiency standards for new houses will help Maine meet its climate action plan which seeks to reduce carbon emissions. Though the idea of a uniform, statewide building code might fly in the face of Maine’s heritage of “do-it-yourself” home construction, the energy standards are a reasonable step for the state to take. The code can be understood as a consumer protection measure, something like the miles-per-gallon standards for vehicles. Perhaps one day houses will come with “gallons of oil per winter” ratings.