This white paper addresses two issues that opponents to improved energy codes typically raise:
- Energy efficiency reduces housing affordability: It is regularly claimed that every $1000 in
added construction costs bars 100,000 or more households from qualifying for home purchases. - Code improvements should be subject to simple payback analysis: Opponents assert that a
simple payback analysis is the best way to measure energy code cost-effectiveness. They also argue that measures with greater than 5-7 year paybacks are not cost-effective.