This week, Housing First Minnesota sent a letter to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) requesting that home affordability is protected in the Residential Energy Code, as is required in statute.
The letter requests that the 2024 International Energy Conservation code includes:
- Protection for performance path options
- No change to efficiency standards
- The adoption of other amendments, such as amendments on HVAC design temperatures and thermally isolated rooms
Both the Energy Rating Index (ERI) and Simulated Building Performance are in the model codes and removing them would be troublesome for homebuilders across the state. The majority of new homes in Minnesota are likely to be built via the performance path.
Last session, the Legislature passed a law mandating that the state move beyond industry standards of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for structures built under the Minnesota Residential Energy Code. Doing so removed housing affordability as a primary consideration in the state energy code.
Minnesota has the costliest new homes in the region, and this law will increase already high prices upwards of $40,000 by 2038. This, coupled with the existing housing shortage and a decline in permitting in the state, will greatly exacerbate the housing crisis in Minnesota.
We are quickly approaching two years of hearings to review the 2021 IECC, with recent hearings losing focus on what is in the scope of the code or rulemaking ability of DLI. Additionally, Minnesota remains the most energy-efficient mid-to-high-volume state in the nation—there is no need for significant energy standard changes.
Housing First Minnesota’s recommendations for the energy code will establish a baseline in efficiency, allow DLI to quickly move into the durability analysis, and allow for more communication and training for builders and code officials.
The letter was co-signed by Minnesota Realtors, Builders Association of Minnesota, Central Minnesota Builders Association, Rochester Area Builders, Northern Minnesota Builders Association, Building Industry Association Red River Valley, Vikingland Builders Association, and Minnesota River Builders Association. The next energy code will likely go into effect in 2027, and Housing First Minnesota is already working on plans to engage members with training opportunities once there is a clearer direction on what the next code will include. Members with questions should contact Nick Erickson, senior director of housing policy (nick@housingfirstmn.org).
