Springfield Standard

Senator Schmitt sends letter to Kansas City Council regarding council’s adoption of green building codes

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Eric Schmitt sent a letter to the Kansas City Council regarding the Council’s recent adoption of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which are building standards established by the International Code Council.

“Keeping these onerous building codes might placate climate activists and similar parties for the time being. In the long term, however, these regulations will continue to constrain Kansas City’s housing market and ding the pocketbooks and wallets of Missouri families who are just trying to get by. It’s time for the Kansas City Council to do the right thing and undo these green standards so that Missouri’s working families and homebuyers can finally have some breathing room when it comes to achieving the American Dream,” said Senator Eric Schmitt.

BACKGROUND:

On October 13, 2022, the Kansas City Council voted to adopt the 2021 IECC. One of the main reasons for this approval was its requirement for receiving part of the $400 million provided by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act.

Critics argue that these building codes have created detrimental effects for builders and residents alike, prioritizing a radical climate agenda over Missourians' needs. If maintained as they currently are, these codes will continue to obstruct housing affordability in Kansas City.

Democratic councilman Wes Rogers noted how, before adopting IECC, Kansas City typically issued eighty-five permits per month for single-family homes. However, in the entire first quarter of 2024, only nine permits were issued. From February 2023 to February 2024, single-family home construction permits in Kansas City decreased by 74%, while those in surrounding metro areas increased by 179%.

Studies have found that IECC compliance could add up to $30,000 in additional costs towards new building construction and maintenance. Will Ruder, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City, recently told The Beacon: “It’s very labor intensive to satisfy all of those requirements and build at the volume that the market is calling for.”