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Improved building codes may introduce risks and meet resistance from the industry. As we move toward higher expectations for performance, there are practical issues that need to be addressed.

Planners, designers and skilled trades will be tasked with following new requirements for energy efficiency and emissions reductions as laid out in new codes - and those new requirements will affect many facets of the building process:

• UNDERSTANDING & IMPLEMENTING NEW RULES: Municipalities and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) will need time examine, ask questions and bring their stakeholders up to speed. There is normally an overlap of 18 to 24 months between the time a new code is published and when it starts being enforced.
• SUPPLY CHAIN: When new performance expectations are mandated, designers and builders have to work with new materials and assemblies that comply to code. This may mean that the suppliers they work with will need to adjust their inventory or find new distributors to meet the demand.
• SKILLS DEVELOPMENT - With each new code iteration, we'll see incremental adjustments to allow for improved energy performance. Skilled trades and installers need to be trained on new, more stringent targets and more detailed processes for insulation, air sealing, openings and mechanicals.
  
• SELLING AND BUYING BUILDINGS - Homeowners, homebuyers and realtors may not have technical understanding of building performance, but they will be concerned if home prices increase. We will also likely see energy labels on buildings more often as they are put up for sale. How will we ensure afforability at the same time as making our buildings more energy efficient?
• POOR PERFORMANCE? - If a building doesn't meet energy performance targets, then what happens? The construction process will have more stops to undergo blower door testing and inspections for quality - making sure everything is working the way it was designed takes time.