Michigan Residential Code Update*
In a brief January 10 statement, Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) said following its December public meeting it would pursue adopting the 2024 version of the residential code.
Michigan is advancing efforts to update its building codes, aiming to replace outdated 2015 standards with more energy-efficient guidelines. This long-overdue modernization has faced significant delays and controversy since discussions began in 2021. At the core of the debate are the 2021 International Residential Code standards, which emphasize energy efficiency and sustainability. Advocates argue these changes will save homeowners over $7.2 million in energy costs annually and significantly reduce carbon emissions, equivalent to removing nearly 10,000 cars from the roads.
Homebuilders, however, have voiced concerns about increased construction costs, claiming the requirements benefit materials manufacturers and impose unnecessary financial burdens. Instead, they are urging Michigan to adopt the newer 2024 code, which offers enhanced flexibility for achieving energy efficiency through credits for innovative measures like improved windows.
Despite these calls, LARA is committed to finalizing the 2021 code update before transitioning to the 2024 version. Environmental groups, including the Michigan Environmental Council, back this approach, emphasizing the urgent need to implement changes after a decade of stagnation. They see the 2021 update as a vital step to address the climate crisis and improve energy standards.
The update process must navigate approval by the bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. While commercial building standards from 2021 have advanced, residential updates remain stalled. Homebuilders threaten legal challenges and court injunctions to delay implementation, but environmental advocates argue Michigan must fulfill its legal obligation to update the codes every six years.
The clash underscores broader tensions between sustainability goals and industry interests, with the outcome likely shaping Michigan's construction landscape for years.
Michigan is advancing efforts to update its building codes, aiming to replace outdated 2015 standards with more energy-efficient guidelines. This long-overdue modernization has faced significant delays and controversy since discussions began in 2021. At the core of the debate are the 2021 International Residential Code standards, which emphasize energy efficiency and sustainability. Advocates argue these changes will save homeowners over $7.2 million in energy costs annually and significantly reduce carbon emissions, equivalent to removing nearly 10,000 cars from the roads.
Homebuilders, however, have voiced concerns about increased construction costs, claiming the requirements benefit materials manufacturers and impose unnecessary financial burdens. Instead, they are urging Michigan to adopt the newer 2024 code, which offers enhanced flexibility for achieving energy efficiency through credits for innovative measures like improved windows.
Despite these calls, LARA is committed to finalizing the 2021 code update before transitioning to the 2024 version. Environmental groups, including the Michigan Environmental Council, back this approach, emphasizing the urgent need to implement changes after a decade of stagnation. They see the 2021 update as a vital step to address the climate crisis and improve energy standards.
The update process must navigate approval by the bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. While commercial building standards from 2021 have advanced, residential updates remain stalled. Homebuilders threaten legal challenges and court injunctions to delay implementation, but environmental advocates argue Michigan must fulfill its legal obligation to update the codes every six years.
The clash underscores broader tensions between sustainability goals and industry interests, with the outcome likely shaping Michigan's construction landscape for years.
*This is a summary of a January 17 MLive article posted online by Lucas Smolcic Larson | [email protected]. Click the button below for the full article.