Home builders defeat proposed Oklahoma energy conservation code upgrade

The Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission rejected a proposal by its Energy Conservation Technical Committee to upgrade the state’s residential energy conservation code.

The commission, composed of builders, subcontractors, engineers, code officials, and other construction industry professionals, voted unanimously against the committee’s research and recommendations. That proposal was based on the 2015 International Residential Code, a less stringent version than the most recent 2018 code.

The chairman of the committee expects the commissioners to derail the entire effort to beef up the state’s code. Many members of the commission opposed the committee’s work from the onset, citing concerns that the code would add construction costs and would amount to a government mandate, he said.

One commissioner quoted in an article in the Oklahoman, pointed to “tremendous escalation in demand which has caused rapid increases in home prices,” in recent years. In addition, the current labor shortage would challenge jurisdictions to increase the levels of inspections, he said. Another complaint: a shortage of energy raters would make it difficult to test every new home.