HotList 03/07/2013

March 7, 2013

Dear Members,

I want to call to your attention House Bill 120, scheduled to be on the house floor. At first glance, this could seem like an innocuous bill on the surface, but the bill has many flaws once you examine it closely. We strongly encourage you to vote NO on HB 120.

My friends at the Sierra Club sum it up best:

HB 120 could cause new homes built in North Carolina to effectively lag behind the nation by as much as a decade for energy efficiency, storm readiness and other standards intended to improve comfort, health, safety, and energy costs.

Under current North Carolina law, the building codes that govern a range of construction standards and practices for new buildings, from fire safety, to severe weather resistance, to energy performance, are updated as a matter of practice (not statute) every three years. This is consistent with the practice of other states, following the lead of the International Code Council, which updates national model codes every 3 years.

HB 120, Building Inspections/Local Consistency, replaces the current discretionary table with a mandate that limits upgrades to the code to only be considered every six years. For certain codes, the Building Code Council could be petitioned to make changes, but with no surety that the petition would be honored.

The change is significant for the consumer because:

Many construction practices employed when a new home or commercial structure is built will remain in place for its lifespan, which could be in excess of 100 years.
Codes protect long-term property investments and increase resale values.
Codes help to stem escalation in insurance rates.
Energy efficient homes save homeowners money on power bills.

In the past, homebuilder interests have actively resisted changes to the residential code, both nationally and in North Carolina, although a growing green builder movement here at home has at times divided opinion. The current North Carolina residential code (2012), which increased energy efficiency by 15%, was the result of protracted negotiation and compromise.

The modern three point seat harness was patented in 1955, however, it wasn’t until January 1, 1968 before car manufacturers had to put them on all vehicles. We can’t afford to lag behind on building the most safe and efficient homes and this bill would hinder us from doing just that.

The three year implementation that is currently in place provide for enough time and should not be altered. Vote NO on HB 120.

Best,

Dan Crawford | dan@nclcv.org