House Bill Would Repeal Onerous Energy Codes Grant Program
NAHB has sent a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in support of the Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1), legislation that would repeal a section of the Inflation Reduction Act that provides $1 billion to pressure state and local governments to adopt advanced energy codes.
“While NAHB supports the adoption of cost-effective, modern energy codes, we oppose these grant programs that prevent amendments to the energy code that accommodate local conditions and a cost-effectiveness analysis,” the letter to McCarthy stated.
NAHB believes that forcing the adoption of costly energy codes to qualify for these grants would exacerbate the current housing affordability crisis and limit energy choices for consumers. Adoption of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code can cost a home buyer as much as $22,000 in additional costs and can take as long as 90 years to see a simple payback for these investments.
“Implementation of these grants would result in fewer families being able to achieve the American dream of homeownership,” said the letter to the House leadership. NAHB noted that efforts to push costly and restrictive energy codes across the country without an opportunity for local review overburden new construction and largely ignore the energy performance of the existing housing stock. New homes built to modern codes are already energy efficient which makes increasing code stringency often unnecessary.
H.R. 1 also repeals a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act that addresses energy efficiency in older homes. NAHB stands ready to work with Congress to develop a practical energy efficiency program that addresses the great need for energy efficiency improvements in older homes.
“NAHB supports H.R. 1 as it provides much needed common-sense energy solutions for our country while protecting consumer choice and preserving housing affordability,” the letter said. “We urge the House of Representatives to swiftly pass this legislation.”
Learn more about NAHB's advocacy efforts.
Latest from NAHBNow
Oct 24, 2025
Is the Construction Industry Attracting Younger Workers?According to the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS), the median age of construction labor force is 42 years old — one year older than a typical worker in the national labor force. However, the construction industry has seen an increase in younger skilled labor since the peak of the skilled labor shortage in 2021.
Codes and Standards
Oct 23, 2025
NAHB Requests Member Feedback on ICC Review of International Residential CodeThe International Code Council (ICC) has announced it will begin a holistic review of the International Residential Code (IRC), the national model construction code for one- and two-family dwellings that ICC updates every three years.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 24, 2025
Inflation Picks Up in SeptemberInflation increased in September to the fastest pace since the start of the year, showing tariff pressure on prices continues to materialize gradually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) latest report.
Economics
Oct 23, 2025
Existing Home Sales Increase in SeptemberExisting home sales rose to a seven-month high in September as mortgage rates eased and inventory improved, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Resale inventory matched to the highest level since May 2020, though it remained below pre-pandemic levels.
Economics
Oct 22, 2025
Where are Porches Most Common for Newly-Built Homes?Although the share of new homes with porches edged down in 2024, porches continue to rank as the most common outdoor feature on new homes, according to NAHB tabulation of the latest data from the Survey of Construction (SOC, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau with partial funding from HUD).