Cap And Trade Building Codes
This isn't even all of it, folks – from a Reuters article. I suspect new houses in the future are going to be rather different than one built today. My guess is, they'll cost more and people might not like some of the additons and things one has to give up to achieve compliance. The government will be authorized to design your home far beyond safety codes. And it'll be interesting to see what, if anything, they do as far as resales.
You might as well read it. You'll have a leg up on the many Representatives who no doubt haven't. Plenty of money going around in this, too. Just in case you thought the government was broke, nah, that would be you.
1. Establishes a “national energy efficiency building code” for residential and commercial buildings, sufficient to meet each of the national building code energy efficiency targets.
2. Sets energy efficiency targets for the national building code: “on the date of enactment of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, 30 percent reduction in energy use relative to a comparable building constructed in compliance with the baseline code…effective January 1, 2014, for residential buildings, and January 1, 2015, for commercial buildings, 50 percent reduction in energy use relative to the baseline code; and…January 1, 2017, for residential buildings, and January 1, 2018, for commercial buildings, and every 3 years thereafter, respectively, through January 1, 2029, and January 1, 2030, 5 percent additional reduction in energy use relative to the baseline code.”
3. If consensus based codes provides for greater reduction in energy use than is required under the ACESA, the overall percentage reduction in energy use provided by that successor code shall be the national building code energy efficiency target.
4. Requires that states and local governments comply with or exceed the national energy efficiency building code, and provides for enforcement mechanisms for states which are out of compliance.
The federalization of building codes has the potential to save consumers large amounts of money on their energy bills by enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings nationwide, as well as addressing the 38 percent of carbon emissions generated by buildings in a comprehensive manner. On the other hand, it represents a major shift in the balance of power over building and land use regulation. Traditionally, building codes, like almost all land use regulation in the United States has been a local (in some cases, state) issue. This makes for a patchwork of different codes across the nation. Indeed, thirteen states have no statewide commercial building codes, and fourteen states have no statewide residential building code.
With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Department of Energy’s State Energy Program received billons of dollars. Under the Waxman-Markey bill, the State Energy Program will again receive billions of dollars for more energy efficiency retrofits. From the Pew Center on Climate Change (PDF):
"This section requires the Secretary of Energy to develop a Retrofit for Energy and Environmental Performance (REEP) program to facilitate building retrofit programs for energy efficiency and efficient water use. Funding will be made available through REEP to the State Energy Programs for state and local efforts, including audits, incentives, technical assistance, and training. States are permitted to choose funding mechanisms, with options including credit support, such as interest rate subsidies or credit enhancement, providing initial capital, and allocating funds for utility programs."
The REEP program has not been created yet so it is unclear what the program will look like. Based on the DOE’s previous support for PACE bond programs when allocating ARRA funds, don’t be surprised to see even more of these programs established through REEP.
1. Encourages energy efficiency in HUD housing by offering block grants and credit for energy improvements in the underwriting of mortgages;
2. Provides that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will have a duty to serve very low, low and moderate income communities while developing underwriting standards to facilitate a secondary market for energy-efficient and location efficient mortgages;
3. Requires federal banking regulators to establish incentives for the development and maintenance of “green banking centers” for the purpose of providing information to customers seeking information about acquiring green mortgages.
Interestingly, Perlmutter’s GREEN Act passed the full House of Representatives as part of HR 6899, the Comprehensive Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act in September 2008, but the Senate failed to take action on this legislation. The GREEN ACT was added this morning to the manager's amendment to the Waxman-Markey bill.
“save consumers large amounts of money on their energy bills by enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings nationwide”
They don’t tell you that this angle is a fraud though. Regulated monopolies (like utility companies), are allowed to raise rates to guarantee their stockholders a certain rate of return when revenues decline.
If electricity saving technology is deployed pervasively and usages rates decline, rates WILL be hiked accordingly to compensate for the revenue loss.
The question I have is, how are we going to stop this monstrosity from becoming law?
More emails and calls to legislators that don’t give a crap? Who are bought-and-sold by the bribers that will make hundreds of millions off of this Marxist lunacy?
Do we really think tea parties will be enough?
When does the middle class, that is going to be abolished by this and other acts, figure out we need to MARCH ON WASHINGTON, en masse. I’m not advocating anything crazy, just hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, going to Washington and showing the Congress and the Marxist Muslim (Obama) that enough is enough.
Or, whatever will work. Because sure as hell, we’re going to be destroyed by the likes of this bill. It’s completely tyrannical. That weasel-fuck Waxman, senator from the failed and broke State of California, is a sick piece-of-dung.
It’s enough already. What can we really do? Just sit and let them destroy us? Seems to be the chosen direction, but it’s time we do something more than have picnics at tea parties. We’re TOO DAMN NICE, and they will railroad us into turning this country into the Weimar Republic II.
PA AND MAURICE…I agree 100%. This bunch of mobsters and scumbags in Washington need to be stopped in their tracks. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !
A march on Washington sounds like an excellent idea. Million person march or more may work.
We have got to do something to stop this madness. Something big !
Even many Dems think it dies in the Senate. That will be the one to watch. And Republicans are already planning to advertise against modeate Dems that voted for it in the House. One Southern Dem said a lot of people walked the plank due to pressure on this one. So, all is not lost.
I like bit about fanny and freddie needing to make more loans for deadbeat losers who helped steamroll the mess we are in already get started.
The more things change the more things stay the same.
Gentlemen the best thing to do is wait. Sit back build up a nice supply of fresh water and stuff if you are unfortunate enough to live in one the cesspools we call cities and be ready for the end.
Like Ralph Emanuel says never let a crisis go to waste. When this thing falls apart is the time to strike. Dems and the lefties always count on conservatives to come in and save them form themselves, we need to stop doing that. Then once we are back in power we need to PURGE these people.
It needs to be a complete PURGE to anyone who was an outspoken lefty needs to be delt with. Not just the politicians either but anyone who was an activist, Judges to they have damaged this country to. Drag them out into the streets and PURGE them.
“Cap and Trade”?, no, Kill and Take.
“The federalization of building codes has the potential to save consumers large amounts of money on their energy bills by enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings nationwide,”…
…but at what cost?
Dan, I earned a Master of Architecture degree. Until February, this was the sort of cr^p I dealt with on a daily basis. One of the reasons the firm let-go of a few of we old-farts was that we were questioning massive up-front costs of complying with faux “green.”
There are a lot of factors to add-up, but “green” slows-down design time, adds to construction time, adds to code review time, adds to building material costs and MEP (Mechanical-Electrical-Plumbing). For a typical kid’s school, we figured it doubled the costs over the standards we used in the 1970′s.
Back then, our concern was to minimize life-cycle costs so that the consumer’s over-all expenses were offset by genuine savings. No longer. It’s about “saving the planet” and the costs be damned. Well, those increased costs are already slowing down work – LE’ED, for example.
Architects deserve what they’re getting. They’re a pack of “Peter Keatings” run amok.
Yeah, it’s a scam, Ran. As if the Feds can do any real building code for alaska and arizona. It would be a nightmare. Part of what ticks me off most is, it’s another Federal power grap. States better wake up, or they won’t have any rights left – cities, too. As for the NJ Republicans that voted for this, keep in mind, that state is already dow the tubes. Passing Federal crap like this actually makes NJ almost competitive by running down the rest of the country.
The whole group in DC sux.
Meanwhile, there’s some guy, somewhere, inventing something that will make oil, gas, coal, and solar power obsolete. Cap’n Trade is like streamlining the care of horses while automobiles are being invented.
“Requires that states and local governments comply with or exceed the national energy efficiency building code, and provides for enforcement mechanisms for states which are out of compliance.”
At what point in all of this will a state finally draw the line and send the Federal inspectors packing.
SDB: Spot on.
Maurice: “— It’s enough already. What can we really do? Just sit and let them destroy us? Seems to be the chosen direction, but it’s time we do something more than have picnics at tea parties. We’re TOO DAMN NICE, and they will railroad us into turning this country into the Weimar Republic II. —”
It is already too late. God is opposed to the United States, for she has made herself His enemy:
“—– …God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. —–” (James 4:6, KJV)
Repent, for the days of Judgment are upon us, and great and terrible is His wrath upon the wicked.
(and the remark about Repentance is direct not to any specific individual, but to all who know not the Lord Jesus Christ, nor heed His words…)
Ran:
You are exactly right. I am in constuction field and every trade show is filled with “we’re Green”. It is so much BS. There will be a time maybe 20 years down the road with the Solar thing when people will say, What were they thinking? It is a scam, filled with Scammers.
Ran,
I am also in the construction field, and arch. tech for 20 years, and am about fed up with the “green” crap also. I went to a seminar on enegy codes for my builder friend, and it was basically a sales pitch on why we should hire this independent guy ( it is illegal for builders to do their own audits and slap a blue star on their houses). My friend wants me to get certified as a rater, but I just can’t do something I have ethical problems with.
The majority of the green push is marketing, builders, etc. don’t really believe it, they think the public does. I asked my friend, if it is supposed to be renewable, why is it so darn expensive? It’s a scam in my opinion, and will make homes especially unaffordable for those in the middle class. The poor already got the Obama.
The cash for clunkers is another whammy for those who need a car under 4500, basically working people. The state of MI gives a 1,200 allowance for work first clients. After cash for clunkers, they’ll have to allow over 4,500 for a running car.
Stupid government thinkers. One step wonders.
This is just going to absolutely kill the housing market. The housing market that Obama says is necessary for the economy to revive. It is all such a joke. Obama and company don’t care about the economy, they don’t care about the people. They care about putting their pet ideas into practice and consolidating their power. They have never had to run a business and worry about the bottom line, and they aren’t worried about it now. If they need more money they will just print it. One day we will be buying a loaf of bread with a wheelbarrow full of cash just like they did back in the hyperinflation days of the Weimar Republic.
Republicans dems this Republicans dems that, they have you and you don’t even know it! Please try to wake up! There is not one democrat with power that has not been chosen and corrupted by the oligarchy that is controlling us all. There is also not one republican who is even in the least bit innocent of corporate corruption. Not one of these traitors have tried to defend the constitution as is the oath of every official from the president to the cop on the street. They are quite simply traitors and deserve nothing. As do you all if you don’t wake up and see the real enemy dangling these puppet presidents from both parties to distract you from your god given right to freedom!