LANSING, MI — Michigan will keep using decade-old construction codes for new residential builds while lawsuits from builder groups challenge the state’s planned updates.

The new building codes — meant to raise minimum standards for safety, energy efficiency, and climate resilience — were supposed to take effect this summer. But multiple organizations representing home builders and the modular and mobile home industries filed lawsuits in June, arguing the new rules would significantly increase construction costs and make it harder for Michiganders to afford new homes.

In response, state officials confirmed in court that they have agreed to pause the implementation. “We have agreed to a delay to allow the legal process to proceed,” an official statement read.

The standoff highlights a larger debate playing out nationwide over how states should modernize building standards while balancing affordability concerns. Many states have recently adopted stricter energy codes in an effort to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from homes, which account for a significant portion of residential energy use.

Builder groups argue that while they support safe, efficient homes, some of Michigan’s proposed changes go too far. “We simply want to ensure that any updates make sense for Michigan’s climate and housing market,” said a spokesperson for one builder association.

Some affordable housing advocates have sided with the builders, warning that higher upfront costs for energy upgrades can put new homes out of reach for first-time buyers. However, environmental groups counter that updated codes save homeowners money in the long term through lower utility bills and also help the state meet its climate goals.

Michigan’s existing residential code, which is more than a decade old, is now among the oldest in the Midwest. Many neighboring states have already moved to newer versions of the International Residential Code (IRC) and International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

Local governments and inspectors say the delay creates challenges for planning departments that have prepared to enforce the new rules. Some builders have already started training crews for the updated standards.

While the lawsuits move forward, the homebuilding industry is urging state officials to use the time to meet with stakeholders and find a middle ground. They’ve asked for targeted adjustments to insulation requirements, ventilation rules, and other specifications they claim would be costly for average-sized homes in Michigan’s colder regions.

A final ruling could come by the end of the year, but until then, developers will keep following the old codes as they plan and construct new subdivisions. The outcome could have implications for thousands of future homes across the state — and for whether Michigan keeps pace with national trends in building safety and sustainability.

Originally reported by Lucas Smolcic Larson in MLive.