The Hailey City Council considered changes to the city's municipal building code Monday night to provide incentives for construction of energy-efficient homes.
If the ordinance changes take effect, builders will be able to defer part of their building-permit fees for homes built to Energy Star standards, which must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15 percent more energy-efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code, and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20 percent to 30 percent more efficient than standard homes.
Hailey Building Official Dave Ferguson presented the council with possible changes to the city building code that would allow for voluntary deferral of building-permit fees for developers willing to build to Energy Star standards.
"We have passed the 2006 International Building Code, but we can always do better," he said.
Building-permit fees would be deferred until the city grants a certificate of occupancy for the new home.
In an interview, Ferguson said the main components of an energy-efficient home include a more efficient water heater and furnace, and tests for leaks in ducts and building walls. Ferguson said additional costs to reach Energy Star standards are estimated to run between $1.50 and $2.50 per square foot, depending largely on a contractor's experience. That would result in a cost of between $2,250 and $3,750 for a 1,500-square-foot home.
"These numbers are from Boise," he said. "There are no numbers from local contractors yet because nobody's doing it yet."
Under a complicated formula, the developer of a 1,500-square-foot home built to Energy Star standards would pay $9,102 in initial permitting fees and $5,006 in deferred fees.
The council was in unanimous agreement that the changes would reflect its recent resolutions in keeping with the Hailey Environmental Leadership Program (HELP) to reduce carbon emissions, which lead to global warming.
"I am very proud of this," said Hailey Mayor Rick Davis after the first reading of the proposed ordinance changes.
The council also heard the results of a poll conducted by the Sawtooth Board of Realtors indicating that 70 percent of home buyers in the area would pay premium prices for homes built with energy-efficient designs if the added expense could be recouped within three to five years.
There are about 350,000 homes in the United States built to Energy Star standards.
