Illinois Mandates Energy Efficiency in New Residential Buildings

New residential buildings in Illinois will be more energy-efficient, save money on energy bills and avoid pollution because of the new Energy Efficient Building Code that was signed into law by Governor Pat Quinn on August 28, 2009. House Bill 3987 will make energy-efficient, green-building practices standard for every new home and substantial rehab in Illinois. The Energy Efficient Building Code will require all new buildings to conform to the current International Energy Conservation Code.

“HB 3987 will help people achieve energy bill savings in their homes and produce environmental benefits for everyone in Illinois,” says  Howard Learner,
executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC). ELPC worked with the legislative sponsors to help design and build support for the legislation. "The new energy efficiency standards will ensure that builders use the best available materials and equipment and use the innovative clean energy technologies that people want in their homes."

Buildings use approximately 40 percent of our energy, and much of that energy is wasted through inefficient heating, cooling and lighting. Illinois was the largest energy-using state in the country that did not have energy-efficient building codes in place. Over the past five years, the ELPC has worked to have energy-efficient building codes adopted for all commercial and residential buildings constructed in Illinois. In 2004, the General Assembly adopted energy conservation codes for all commercial, industrial and high-rise apartment buildings.

A recent U.S. Department of Energy study estimated that Illinois’ Energy Efficient Building Code will result in at least 15 percent savings annually on utility bills and an average homeowner in Illinois saving more than $240 per year.

The ELPC was recently honored by the U.S. Green Building Council - Chicago Chapter for its work on energy-efficient building codes and the Chicago Climate Action Plan.

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The Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization.