NLBMDA News - Comprehensive Energy and Climate Change Bill Taking Shape

Today is the first committee markup of comprehensive energy and climate change legislation in the House Energy & Commerce Committee. The "American Clean Energy and Security Act" (H.R. 2454), introduced last week by Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) contains a section on "Building Energy Efficiency Programs" which calls for a national building code energy efficiency target that achieves a 30% reduction in energy use over current building codes at the date of enactment and a 50% reduction for residential buildings by January 1, 2014 (and for commercial buildings by January 1, 2015).

The legislation would also create a "cap and trade" approach to managing greenhouse gas emissions. The notion of the government selling allowances has largely been abandoned and the current draft now calls for the majority of allowance permits to be given to industries without charge.

NLBMDA is closely monitoring developments impacting residential construction. The bill will likely transform significantly as it goes through the numerous House and Senate committees with overlapping jurisdiction in the next few weeks.