It’s easy to look at energy codes as just another layer of regulation, another checklist to grind through in an already complex permitting process. But we can’t afford to forget why energy codes exist in the first place. These codes didn’t show up out of thin air, and they weren’t created just to make construction more expensive or slow down builders. They came out of necessity—financial, political, and practical.
Go back to the 1950s and 60s. Homes were flying up across America, especially in the suburbs. Energy was cheap, and there was almost zero concern for insulation, air sealing, or efficiency. The goal was to build fast and sell faster. The problem? As heating costs crept up—especially in cold climates—people with FHA-backed mortgages began falling behind on their utility bills. Not because they bought too much of a house, but because they couldn’t afford to heat it. In winter, their monthly bills would spike so high that they were forced to choose between staying warm or making the mortgage payment. Many defaulted. The federal government realized this wasn’t just a housing problem, it was a financial one. Poor energy design was putting the entire mortgage system at risk.
I’ve lived this firsthand. Back in the early 2000s, I owned a modest home in Pennsylvania, a two-story, 1600 square foot, three-bedroom house with a basement. In January and February, when the temperature stayed brutally cold, my natural gas bills were over $600 a month. And that was just to keep the house at 68 degrees, which many people would still consider on the cool side. It didn’t matter that the mortgage was affordable. What crushed people was the cost of staying warm. Cold climates have the power to destroy a working family financially. When energy costs go through the roof, the house payment quickly becomes unsustainable.
That’s the context behind our energy codes. In the 1970s, the oil embargo forced the country to get serious about energy conservation. The Department of Energy was created. Congress passed legislation like the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (1975), the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (1978), and the Energy Conservation Standards for New Buildings Act. These weren’t just feel-good measures. They were designed to keep families in their homes and reduce the financial shock that came from volatile fuel prices.
Out of that came the first Model Energy Code in 1983, and later, the IECC in 2000. These codes have evolved with building science, but their roots are still firmly planted in the idea that a home shouldn’t bankrupt its owner just because it gets cold or hot.
So, before anyone dismisses the energy code as overreach or “too strict,” it’s worth remembering that these rules exist to prevent people from having to choose between heating their homes and keeping a roof over their heads. They protect not just energy resources, but real people. And in my opinion, they’re one of the most overlooked success stories in modern building regulation.
Go back to the 1950s and 60s. Homes were flying up across America, especially in the suburbs. Energy was cheap, and there was almost zero concern for insulation, air sealing, or efficiency. The goal was to build fast and sell faster. The problem? As heating costs crept up—especially in cold climates—people with FHA-backed mortgages began falling behind on their utility bills. Not because they bought too much of a house, but because they couldn’t afford to heat it. In winter, their monthly bills would spike so high that they were forced to choose between staying warm or making the mortgage payment. Many defaulted. The federal government realized this wasn’t just a housing problem, it was a financial one. Poor energy design was putting the entire mortgage system at risk.
I’ve lived this firsthand. Back in the early 2000s, I owned a modest home in Pennsylvania, a two-story, 1600 square foot, three-bedroom house with a basement. In January and February, when the temperature stayed brutally cold, my natural gas bills were over $600 a month. And that was just to keep the house at 68 degrees, which many people would still consider on the cool side. It didn’t matter that the mortgage was affordable. What crushed people was the cost of staying warm. Cold climates have the power to destroy a working family financially. When energy costs go through the roof, the house payment quickly becomes unsustainable.
That’s the context behind our energy codes. In the 1970s, the oil embargo forced the country to get serious about energy conservation. The Department of Energy was created. Congress passed legislation like the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (1975), the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (1978), and the Energy Conservation Standards for New Buildings Act. These weren’t just feel-good measures. They were designed to keep families in their homes and reduce the financial shock that came from volatile fuel prices.
Out of that came the first Model Energy Code in 1983, and later, the IECC in 2000. These codes have evolved with building science, but their roots are still firmly planted in the idea that a home shouldn’t bankrupt its owner just because it gets cold or hot.
So, before anyone dismisses the energy code as overreach or “too strict,” it’s worth remembering that these rules exist to prevent people from having to choose between heating their homes and keeping a roof over their heads. They protect not just energy resources, but real people. And in my opinion, they’re one of the most overlooked success stories in modern building regulation.
