[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7421]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING ENERGY CODES AND ENERGY 
                               EFFICIENCY

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                          HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 25, 2016

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the importance 
of building energy codes. As a member of the High Performance Building 
Caucus, I recognize the need to pursue cost effective means to promote 
energy efficiency.
  American homes and commercial buildings consume 71 percent of our 
nation's electricity, 54 percent of its natural gas, and 42 percent of 
all its energy. The model residential and commercial building energy 
codes developed by the International Code Council and ASHRAE, the 
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning 
Engineers, have the potential to benefit both consumers and the 
environment. The Department of Energy's Building Energy Codes Program 
participates in this process by researching, further developing, and 
implementing these codes. A study of this program by the Pacific 
Northwest National Laboratory found that model energy codes saved 
consumers roughly $44 billion and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 
nearly 3.9 billion metric tons over the past 20 years. In addition, the 
energy efficiency gained by updating building energy codes stands to 
stabilize the U.S. demand for electricity and decrease the need to 
construct more power plants.
  The economic and environmental benefits of model building codes are 
also appreciated by homebuyers. According to a 2013 survey conducted by 
the National Association of Home Builders, 9 out of 10 Americans will 
pay 2 to 3 percent more for a new home with energy efficient features. 
Homeowners understand that having an energy efficient home reduces 
monthly utility bills and provides long-lasting savings. Additionally, 
many homebuyers are aware that energy efficient features make their 
homes quieter and more comfortable, while also raising their resale 
values.
  Mr. Speaker, it is clear from all of the benefits gained from 
building energy codes that we should continue to support upgrading 
model codes, adopting the codes in state and local jurisdictions, and 
improving compliance. This will save Americans money, contribute to our 
nation's energy security, and help protect our environment.

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