Congressmen Brett Guthrie and Bob Latta announced a hearing impact of building and energy efficiency standards on housing costs and grid reliability had been held. The event, titled “Building the American Dream: Examining Affordability, Choice, and Security in Appliance and Buildings Policies,” was scheduled for September 9, 2025, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.
Guthrie and Latta expressed concerns over energy efficiency standards imposed by the Department of Energy during the Biden-Harris Administration. They argue these regulations are causing rising prices for families, builders, and manufacturers nationwide. According to them, “heavy-handed, burdensome regulations have contributed to rising housing prices that continue to climb out of reach for would-be buyers.”
The hearing explored how these policies affect housing affordability, energy costs, and grid reliability. It was open to the public and available via livestream on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s website.
Kara Saul Rinaldi from the Building Performance Association (BPA) testified about energy efficiency’s role in residential buildings. She highlights that the sector employs 2.4 million Americans with significant job growth from 2023 to 2024. Additionally, modern building codes save homeowners $963 annually on utility bills while enhancing disaster resilience.
Rinaldi also notes that appliance standards can save households $576 per year on energy bills. However, she emphasizes that many households face energy insecurity, with some sacrificing essentials like food or medicine to pay bills.
The hearing also addressed data center electricity consumption projected to rise significantly by 2028. Smart meters are installed in most homes but face challenges due to utilities blocking data sharing needed for grid optimization.
The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which has benefited millions of low-income households by reducing health risks and saving on utility costs, was discussed as well. The bipartisan H.R. 1355 bill aims to reauthorize WAP through 2030.
Rinaldi recommends reauthorizing WAP, promoting modern building codes, unlocking smart meter data for demand response benefits, supporting DOE efficiency programs like BTO and RBI for innovation in efficiency measures, and prioritizing workforce training in this sector.
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