Michigan homebuilders are protesting the state’s new energy code, saying it is adding unnecessary costs to the price of a new home. The debate stems from a recent U.S. Department of Energy report that recommends state regulations be updated to the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code. By upgrading, the average energy costs for new homes would be reduced by 30.9 percent, the report said, and homeowners could realize roughly $10,081 in energy savings over an initial 30-year period. One builder told officials in a Michigan county that he believed the new requirements upped the cost of a new home $18,000.
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