Colorado Energy Mandates Stir Growing Debate Over Housing Affordability

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado

Over the last 10 years, Colorado has become one of the most energy efficient states in the country, and one of the most unaffordable as the cost of housing has soared.

Roger Lovell, Building Official at the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, says it’s no coincidence.

“The big driver from an affordability standpoint is the cost of compliance with the latest energy codes,” Lovell said.

Lovell says Colorado’s energy mandates have gone too far.

“Now when you’re designing the home, you have to bring on an energy consultant,” he said.

There’s no national energy code, so most states adopt standards developed by the International Code Council. It assigns a point value for energy efficiency to everything from water heaters to kitchen appliances and Lovell says builders are required to accrue a certain number of points.

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