Robert Schaefer

The housing industry continues to struggle to keep up with the adoption of each new edition of the energy code. It is difficult for contractors to provide reliable bids on a project when the implementation of the new requirements isn't fully understood. They have to understand the real impact of the installation. It isn't clear what the end goal is when each new edition of the energy code improves efficiency "15%'." When is the law of diminishing returns achieved? Theoretically, better efficiency leads to lower energy costs. Where is the empirical data that increased efficiencies leads to lower operating costs? Modeling is not reality. Increased costs are real. Should increasing the cost of housing construction occur while the community continues to resist new housing that would reduce the current housing crisis?