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Component Manufacturing dverti$er
Don’t Forget! You Saw it in the
Adverti$er
September 2019 #11242 Page #92
Enhancing Product Neutrality in Building Energy Codes Robert Glowinski is the President & CEO of the American Wood Council (AWC).
T
he wood products industry has taken great leaps in generating greater awareness regarding the advantages of wood products in construction; however, people often overlook wood’s good performance in building energy efficiency. With pressure mounting to combat carbon emissions and reduce the environmental footprint of the building sector, wood construction provides many advantages. From wood’s natural thermal resistance and low embodied energy, to its outstanding structural performance and constructability, wood construction is a prime example of an energy efficient building material. Bills were introduced this term in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate that address energy efficiency in the building codes. The Energy Savings and Building Efficiency Act (H.R. 3586) was introduced by Representatives Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Bill Flores (R-TX), Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ), Lou Correa (D-CA), and Collin Peterson (D-MN). This bill would amend the Energy Conservation and Production Act to return the Department of Energy’s role to that as a technical advisor, rather than the advocate it has become. It would also remove requirements in the model energy code that mandate the use of a particular product, allowing for all building materials to have an equal opportunity to contribute to meeting building energy efficient standards. Similarly, Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 2137). The American Wood Council (AWC) supports the House bill over the Senate proposal because the House version goes further in promoting material choice. The House bill also plainly states the role of the Department of Energy in development of model energy codes and state adoption, which has in recent years begun advocating for use of specific non-wood materials. Builders should be given a choice in determining how to best meet energy codes. And wood, with its natural thermal resistance and low embodied energy, should be given the opportunity to demonstrate it can meet the requirements of the energy codes. By promoting product neutrality, the Energy Savings and Building Efficiency Act helps open up opportunities for all building materials to have an equal opportunity to contribute to meeting these codes and, ultimately, achieve a more effective building energy code. AWC will continue to monitor and support these pieces of legislation.
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