NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips issued the following statement in response to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) adopting the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as the reference standard for the new construction of HUD- and USDA-assisted housing: 

“NEMA commends Acting HUD Secretary Todman and USDA Secretary Vilsak for their leadership on this final determination that will create cost savings, generate efficiency gains, and further reduce emissions from buildings, benefitting all Americans. This decision will lower the energy burden on low-income homes, reducing monthly utility bills in the process. 

“As a leading Standards Development Organization, NEMA has a lengthy history of leading on code adoption and energy efficiency in the building sector. Access to efficient, energy resilient, high-performing homes is critical to the energy transition – and our members manufacture products that contribute to the construction of these safe, efficient, and resilient homes in communities across the United States. 

"Since February, NEMA and our partners in the Campaign for Lower Home Energy Costs Coalitionhave engaged with the Administration and Congress to highlight the importance of energy efficiency standards in newly constructed homes.

“HUD’s May 2023 preliminary determination found that the IECC 2021 and ASHRAE 90.1 2019 energy codes will generate significant cost savings for low-income households without significant impact to housing affordability or availability. According to HUD, residents will save an estimated $14,500 for single-family homes and $5,886 per multifamily unit over 30 years, net of costs, compared to homes under existing U.S. requirements. Additional research from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the national laboratories demonstrated that adopting the proposed code will increase the habitability of homes in the event of power outages. 

“Finalizing this determination to adopt the IECC is a critical step forward and a triple-win for energy efficiency, affordability, and resiliency in communities that need it most. Electrical manufacturers value HUD’s and USDA’s engagement on this decision, and we urge them to act to implement the code as quickly as possible.”

National Electrical Manufacturers Association | www.nema.org