Lee: Updating Michigan’s building energy codes can save money

The last time Michigan updated its energy conservation guidelines for construction, Alexa had just been introduced into homes. “Uptown Funk” was the top song on Spotify. It was 2015. Building science and energy technology have come a long way since.

Michigan’s building codes are woefully outdated, and this month, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs will consider adopting the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Thanks to a range of innovations, we have the technology to keep our buildings cooler in summer and warmer in winter for less money. 

For utility ratepayers, an update to Michigan’s building energy code means saving money. Buildings consume and lose 40% of all energy produced, so making them as efficient as possible is common sense.

The average Michigan household could save $327 in utility bills per year with the 2021 IECC standard, according to a U.S. Department of Energy analysis. Building owners could save $63 annually for each 1,000 square feet of commercial space. Making Michigan buildings ready for electric vehicle chargers, rooftop solar, electric appliances and battery storage also saves money overall.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called out the state’s housing stock in her recent State of the State address. Nearly half of all units in Michigan were built before 1970, and young people cite the affordability of housing as one of their top concerns when deciding where to live. Last year, she set a clear goal to build or refurbish 75,000 units in five years. It’s important these new homes are built with codes that will save people money, prevent waste and reduce polluting emissions.

My company, Better World Builders, LLC, focuses on retrofitting existing homes to make them more energy-efficient. We make old houses perform like new houses or better. In my experience of more than a decade and a half of doing energy retrofits, I’ve seen firsthand that it is more than three to eight times more expensive to retrofit an existing home than if the home was built tight and well-insulated when constructed.

In order to have modern, affordable homes Michiganians want to live in, we need to include provisions for solar upgrades, battery storage, electric appliances, electric vehicle needs and other new energy technologies. On top of that, homeowners, small businesses, builders and developers should receive incentives to incorporate net zero emissions and renewable energy appliances, services and other technology.

The IECC sets out minimum efficiency standards for new construction, which cover components such as walls, floors, ceilings, lighting, windows and leakages. At least seven states have already adopted the IECC’s 2021 standards, and now it’s Michigan’s time. 

In addition to saving money, updated building codes with clean energy provisions have other benefits.

The 2021 IECC improves a building’s envelope, the physical shell of a building that separates the interior from the exterior, making it more resilient to severe weather or utility infrastructure failures. This places less stress on the electricity grid, reducing the risk of outages and power failures. As we experience more extreme weather in Michigan, from record-breaking temperatures to ice storms, this is increasingly important to address in our building stock.

Adopting the 2021 IECC standards and upgrading our buildings to run on clean energy will benefit all residents today and in the future.

Mark Lee is president of Better World Builders, LLC.