State law requires Utah’s building codes to be updated every six years, aligning them with national norms. In 2015, the commercial building code was brought right up to international standards because commercial developers foresaw an immediate financial benefit from reduced energy bills.

But the 2015 residential code update had many amendments advocated by the Utah Home Builders’ Association and others. Since then, new homeowners must pay for higher heating and cooling bills than they would have done with a modern building code.

Fortunately, this year the Legislature has the opportunity to update both the residential code and the commercial building code to national standards.

HOW ARE UTAH BUILDING CODES ADOPTED?  

Every six years, our state government selects an expert group called the Uniform Building Code Commission (UBCC) to examine the latest International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The commission is called “uniform” because it recommends building standards for the entire state.

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Over several months, they hear recommendations from groups advocating the latest IECC plus objections from those wanting to amend it.

The UBCC also receives cost-benefit studies to show whether the changes will actually save homeowners money and how much.

Next, the UBCC enters changes to Utah’s nearly 200-page building code and forwards their update to legislators.

This year on Sept. 1, the UBCC delivered its recommendation to the Legislature’s Business and Labor Interim Committee, composed of both senators and representatives. Under current law, this committee decides this fall whether or not to recommend the UBCC’s Sept. 1 update to the 2023 Legislature, which begins in January.

That committee’s recommendations will have enormous influence on whether or not we will have more energy-efficient new buildings and homes in the future.

WHY ADOPT THE BUILDING CODE COMMISSION’S UPDATE?

Utah is growing faster than any other state, so many new buildings and homes are going up now and will last for 30-100 years.

Natural gas costs are estimated by the U.S. government to increase 19% and electric costs 8% this coming year. The IECC building standards will help hold down the increases in heating and cooling costs by reducing household energy use by 16%, an average of $325 per year.

Some are hesitant to advocate anything to increase today’s high home prices. However, the extra cost of building the UBCC’s updated standards will be only 0.5% or less, while the savings in energy costs would equal the extra investment in only three years and continue to deliver savings over the decadeslong life of the building.

Three cost-benefit studies of the IECC have all indicated that adopting it would be beneficial for Utah. Two were done by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and one by Nexant.

The prestigious and nonpartisan Utah Foundation recommends updating the Utah building code to the full 2021 IECC code.

Another reason to build more energy-efficient buildings is to reduce pollution. Buildings and houses now produce about 27% of Utah’s pollution, but as our vehicles become cleaner, our structures will become the main sources of air pollution.

When natural gas is burned to heat your home or provide hot water, it releases nitrous oxide and volatile organic compounds, which cause inversions in the winter and ozone pollution in the summer.

A BYU study found that pollution shortens Utahns’ lives by two years and costs billions annually in health care expenses, damage to crops and lost earning potential, in addition to indirect costs such as loss of tourism and decreased growth.

Well-insulated homes and efficient furnaces required by the UBCC building code update will reduce that dangerous and costly air pollution.

The updated building code also reduces CO2 emissions that cause global climate change and reduce our snow pack, contributing to droughts and forest fires.

So, to save money, save lives and save our environment, urge your legislators to adopt the UBCC building code update.

Don Jarvis is a retired BYU professor and environmental volunteer in Provo. Janelle Jarvis is a retired school teacher and environmental volunteer in Provo.