Title
Resolution in Support of Establishing A New Chapter in the Ann Arbor Building Code Entitled Chapter XXX Home Energy Labeling, Which Will Establish a Home Energy Score Requirement for Residential Buildings at Time of Sale.
Memorandum
The current homebuying process in Ann Arbor leaves prospective buyers largely in the dark regarding the specific energy consumption data of the homes available on the market. This is due in part to the fact that, in Ann Arbor, there is not yet in place a standardized means of collecting and relaying a home's energy data, and the process of obtaining or sharing such data is purely voluntary, so many sellers are either unaware or choose to forego making the information available. However, the need exists for Ann Arbor to make residential energy consumption easily accessible to homebuyers through a Home Energy Labeling Program (HELP), as do the tools & resources to make it happen.
According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), 25% of all U.S. households face a high energy burden (>6% income goes to energy bills) and 13% of households face a severe energy burden (>10% income to energy bills). These numbers are drastically and disproportionately higher for low-income populations and BIPOC populations. From an equity standpoint, it is important that Ann Arbor help make homeownership accessible and realistic for all populations by empowering homebuyers with energy consumption data so they may make informed buying decisions.
A HELP ordinance can encourage safer, healthier, and more comfortable homes to live in. Nearly 30% of a home's heating and cooling energy is wasted due to inefficiencies in the home's envelope (the physical barrier between the home's conditioned environment and the unconditioned exterior). That means we pay, on average, 30% more on our utility bills than we need to in order to keep the home comfortable. Identifying opportunities to improve building envelopes can al...
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