This ought to be illegal. It would be illegal in many states that have worked to strengthen their building and energy codes. This is a brand new home in North Carolina, built in 2025, looking for a buyer. Traditional wood frame construction is the weakest and least energy efficient way to build a home, and with this image you almost feel like you can see right through that wall system. The photo was taken this week – on a 43 F (6 C) degree evening (so not even particularly cold).
At a time when the cost of power continues to rise, chapters of the National Association of Home Builders – the NC Chapter especially – as well as legislatures in North Carolina AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY are working to REDUCE the energy efficiency requirements for new homes, saying it makes homes more affordable. This is a lie. This shifts the cost burden on to the consumer of the new home – who may in the future be forced to default on their mortgage payments because they feel like they must pay their power bills first. Cheaply built homes makes them less affordable to own, not more.
For those going to the International Builders Show in Florida next week – I hope you have a good time. But please understand that your ultimate audience – YOUR CUSTOMERS – are having a real tough time paying the energy bills on what you are building them. At Eco-Panels we have shown that a $5,000 premium for our product tacked on to a 30 year mortgage – a $30 monthly payment – is much LESS than the average monthly savings that a homeowner can realize when using our panels. So on average they come out ahead each and every month when that home is built more efficiently with Eco-Panels.
So please – think about the end consumer. Think about building stronger, safer and more energy efficient homes. Not just cheap homes faster.
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