How upgrading Kansas City building codes would save energy, money and the environment

Two years ago, the Kansas City Council established a timeline for coaxing this community off fossil fuels. The goals: to reduce citywide emissions of greenhouse gases by 30% by 2025, by 50% by 2030, and to achieve climate neutrality by 2040.

In coming months, the council will consider one strategy to help us get there: tightening the energy efficiency standards in its building code. That could reduce by about 10% the energy needed to heat, cool and otherwise power the roughly 500 new homes built in the city in a typical year. It would also apply to commercial structures. Energy use in buildings is estimated to account for between 40% and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in Kansas City.

But that could be just the start. Most of the suburbs in Kansas and Missouri have building codes that they consider revising every few years. If Kansas City adopts the amended 2021 version of the International Energy Conservation Code, it would be the first community in this area to do so. And that could fortify other municipalities to resist the mighty BOMA — the Building Owners and Managers Association — and the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City, which have come out swinging against more efficient building standards. Those industries have flexed their considerable muscle in other cities and states that have attempted to toughen their efficiency standards.

These trade groups are concerned that more efficient construction would cost more up front. It would. But additional insulation, air sealing and other features of the 2021 code should pay for themselves in about 12.4 years, according to an analysis done by the U.S. Department of Energy. Over the subsequent 18 years, the efficiency upgrades should save another $2,240 on average per residential unit.

Since the new 2021 efficiency code was released one year ago, Kansas City leaders and the planning department have delayed action time and again. Now, while the climate clock ticks, the city is proposing — for the second time in two years — to solicit opinions from residents and other stakeholders. The code question then should get a vote before the city’s Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee before moving on to the full City Council.

Council members Andrea Bough, Melissa Robinson and Eric Bunch support more stringent efficiency standards. Also backing them is the city’s Climate Protection Steering Committee, a mayor-appointed citizen group that is drafting a revision of the city’s climate protection plan. The planning department last July booted the hot potato from the council to the steering committee. In October, it unanimously endorsed the 2021 code with “strengthening amendments.” Those would require new homes to have the infrastructure to support solar panels and electric vehicle charging equipment, should the property owner decide to add them.

It is certain that homebuilders and the building owners associations will continue to object to a building code that promises to cut gas and electric bills while moving the city a bit closer to its carbon goal. It’s critical that the city council also hear from those who want Kansas City to quickly reduce its burning of fossil fuels.

Now is the time to express your views to the five council members who comprise the neighborhoods committee. They are Lee Barnes Jr. (Keema.McCoy@kcmo.org), Brandon Ellington (Brandon.Ellington@kcmo.org), Teresa Loar (Teresa.Loar@kcmo.org), Dan Fowler (amy.justis@kcmo.org) and Andrea Bough (Katrina.Foster@kcmo.org)

Please let these representatives know your views on energy efficiency standards in new construction here, and ask to be alerted to the day when the neighborhoods committee will take up the issue.

Those opposed to this policy have been heard in City Hall. Let’s make sure that supporters are as well.