Study Identifies States with Best Opportunities to Cut Costs and Emissions by Updating Building Codes Using Federal Climate Funds

Washington, DC—States could cut energy use in new buildings by as much as a third—significantly reducing utility bills and greenhouse gas emissions—by updating building energy codes with the help of new federal funds. New analysis from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) identifies the states best positioned to take advantage of the federal funding by analyzing several factors in each state, including energy savings achievable for new buildings under a stronger code, the pace of new building construction, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings. The new analysis allowed ACEEE to evaluate how stronger codes could help states meet their climate targets.