Energy Code Cost Calculator

How Do Energy Codes Affect Builders' Construction Costs?

Energy Code Cost Calculator

Over the past 10 years, residential energy codes have become more and more stringent in many states. Since 2006, the International Code Council (ICC) has released a new International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) version every 3 years. States can determine when and how they want to adopt these new IECC versions, but many have already adopted IECC 2006, then '09, then '12, and are now looking forward to IECC 2015. This will enforce improved energy performance in all new homes, which means new home-buyers move into more comfortable homes with lower utility bills. It means lower recurring costs for every subsequent owner of the home, decreased fossil fuel dependence, and a lower per-home carbon footprint.

However, it also means increased construction costs for builders that don't necessarily translate into higher sale prices. How much higher costs? That depends on which codes, what climate, and the design of the home. Since this cost increase is very difficult for builders to predict, but can have a huge impact on their business planning, Ekotrope has developed a tool to help builders predict added costs due to new energy code versions.  The costs used in the tool come from Ekotrope's experience working with production builders on real projects.  In general, the most cost effective options are used to meet the given energy code.  For example, fiberglass batt insulation is assumed rather than closed cell spray foam. Anyone can use the calculator for free here. It only takes a few minutes to get results tailored to a specific code, location, and home type.