SEEC Urges Adoption of Updated Energy Efficiency Building Codes

Washington, D.C. – The leaders of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), including Co-Chairs Reps. Doris Matsui, Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko, Vice Chairs Reps. Don Beyer, Matt Cartwright, Sean Casten, Chellie Pingree, and Katie Porter, and Chair Emeritus Rep. Gerry Connolly, sent a letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director, Sandra Thompson, requesting that the agency require that homes receiving FHFA assistance meet modern energy efficiency building codes. Taking this step would align FHFA-assisted homes with the recent decision by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to adopt modern building codes.

“The adoption of modern building codes that prioritize electrification, specifically the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019, is essential for lowering housing costs and supporting our nation’s transition to a more sustainable and equitable energy future,” the Members wrote. “Such measures will not only reduce the long-term housing costs for homeowners and renters—especially benefiting low-income and minority households who disproportionately bear the burden of high energy costs—but also improve the resilience of housing to climate-related challenges.

“We urge FHFA to swiftly align its policies with the updated determinations finalized by HUD and USDA. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for all your work for affordable, resilient housing.”

The letter can be found here.