Metro Detroit

NEW HOMES EMBRACE NEW ENERGY CODES

April 26, 2013

Earlier this week in celebration of Earth Day, we posted a link from the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), detailing how the changes in energy code effected two homes built nearly 30 years apart.

The difference between a home built in 1983 and a home built in 2012 is remarkable.

Several people emailed us because they had trouble reading the small font on the original infographic, so we are re-posting the written parts of the diagram below along with a larger/clearer version of the inforgraphic.

How energy codes make homes more efficient:

Household energy use is lower than it was in the ‘80s, even as we buy up PlayStations and iPhones.  Why?  Think stronger energy codes.

Building energy codes set minimum legal standards for the energy efficiency of new homes.  That’s good for the environment because it lowers carbon emissions; it’s also good for Americans’ bank accounts.  Houses built to stronger codes are up to 44% more efficient and can save a family hundreds of dollars a year on energy costs.  The two hypothetical properties depicted [in the infographic] show the evolution of an average home and a side-by-side comparison of how energy codes make a surprising difference in home energy efficiency.

IMT estimates that the residents of the 2012 house will pay almost $400 less in energy costs [in 2012 dollars] than the residents in the 1983 house, thanks to stronger energy codes and appliance standards.