2026-07-27 Comment response to the published Request for information

My name is Isaac Scott and I am the owner of Clare Homes, a single-family homebuilder based in Lafayette, Louisiana. So I know firsthand that building energy codes actually protects affordability by keeping energy bills low and supporting quality construction that’s done right the first time. These codes represent a minimum baseline for building an energy efficient, durable, comfortable and healthy home, and frankly should be a no-brainer. I urge DOE to continue considering all of these benefits in its methodology for assessing codes. My company is a small production homebuilder, and we build every single one of our homes to the ENERGY STAR Single Family New Homes program requirements which goes above and beyond Louisiana’s 2021 IECC code. It costs a bit more to build to that higher level of efficiency, but the payoff in terms of energy bill savings for our homebuyers means the added investment more than pays for itself. Keeping my customers happy is my No. 1 priority, and experience has shown me that homebuyers absolutely want more energy efficient housing. And the last thing I want is buyers who regret buying their home because it is not comfortable and the energy bills are too high. With energy prices on the rise and more and more families struggling with the cost of living, it just doesn’t make sense to build a new home that will cost a fortune to cool and heat. In addition to the energy bill savings, the homes we build are also more comfortable, healthy, and safe. Building to the 2021 IECC or higher results in a home with better indoor quality, more consistent indoor temperatures, and greater durability overall. A study by the U.S. Department of Energy and national labs even found that homes that meet 2021 IECC protect residents for longer when the power goes out during extreme heat or cold weather. With more and more violent storms and extreme heat hitting Louisiana these days, preserving building energy codes is a matter of public safety. Codes are also helping to protect grid reliability to avoid those power outages to begin with. Since buildings use 74%about three quarters of the electricity in the U.S., making sure buildings are built to be energy efficient is and important way to mitigate added cost and strain on the grid system. As a company we have made it our business to build high-performing homes because it’s not hard to do, it is a modest added cost, and we find our customers want it. Even if they don’t know what building energy codes are, the bill savings, resilience, and comfort from an energy efficient home speaks for itself. Undermining building energy codes by ignoring the significant cost savings and other benefits would hurt housing quality and affordability in this country, and undercut builders like me who are doing the right thing.