Maine to require 20 inches of insulation in new homes
Maine’s new energy efficiency requirements are forcing new homes to have 20″ of attic insulation, driving some home costs up by as much as $15,000. From Newscenter Maine:
Starting in April, builders statewide are being asked to stretch — to R60. That’s an unprecedented mandate in Maine and could require up to 20 inches of insulation, depending on the material.
…
The extra ceiling and wall insulation needed to meet the 2021 code would have added $15,000 to a home that will list in the $550,000 range, according to Michael McDonald, the site supervisor for Cottage Advisors, a Massachusetts-based home developer. McDonald said he’s willing and able to comply with whatever the new code says, but he wonders about cost-effectiveness.
“I know it adds expense to a unit and I’m trying to build on a budget,” McDonald said. “But do you get a return on the dollar?”
…
But the value of insulating beyond a certain level doesn’t make economic sense, according to the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Maine, which cited research from its national arm. It calculated that the R60 standard would take more than 50 years to pay for itself, with a point of diminishing returns: The first three inches of fiberglass insulation cut heat loss in half. With 15 inches, heat loss is reduced by 96 percent.
“R60 in the ceilings yields diminishing returns and no real cost benefits and only increases home costs,” the home builders wrote in response to the new rule.