N.C. considers new ‘green’ building code rules

North Carolina is considering revising its building code to require new energy-saving measures, the Charlotte Observer reported. But homebuilders are protesting the potential changes, saying they would add costs in a tight housing market.

The cost estimates for making new homes more energy efficient vary from $2,400 to $11,000. Since those costs aren’t often included in appraisals, though, either buyers or builders have to pay for the extra expenses.

Earlier this year, the N.C. Building Code Council seemed ready to make the changes, which were based on the International Code Council and would have improved efficiency by 30 percent. But they were taken off the table after the homebuilders’ protests.

"We're not just concerned with the added cost of the building, but the cost to the consumer," said Robert Privott, a code official of the N.C. Home Builders Association. "With the market the way it is, this is just too much too quick."