The Missouri House has passed House Bill 939, a bill that would block municipalities from enforcing green or sustainable building standards if they increase construction costs. The bill, passed by a 90-4 vote on Monday, mandates that any provisions adopted after 2009 related to energy efficiency, sustainability, and environmentally responsible building practices be removed from local codes.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mike Jones, R-Copan, argues that this legislation will strengthen the state’s construction industry by limiting the additional costs associated with energy-efficient standards. "This legislation is a step toward strengthening Oklahoma's skilled trades workforce," said Jones. "By enhancing education programs and providing resources for workforce development, we can better prepare young Oklahomans for high-demand careers while ensuring the continued growth of our state's construction industry.”

Columbia's building code, adopted in 2018, includes more energy-efficient windows, advanced lighting standards, better insulation, and stricter ventilation requirements. If HB 939 passes in the Senate, Columbia’s building codes would revert to the less stringent 2009 standards. This would likely result in homes with less efficient heating and cooling systems, lower-quality insulation, and less energy-saving technologies.

Aaron Decker, Columbia's building regulations supervisor, said, "It would impact commercial development, and it would impact residential development both, hand in hand." He explained that while homeowners could still add energy-efficient features independently, they would likely face higher costs for upgrades after construction.

The debate centers on the trade-off between initial construction costs and future energy bills. Proponents of HB 939 claim that the 2018 code adds as much as $30,000 to construction costs, but experts argue that this up-front cost results in long-term savings through reduced energy bills.

As Rep. Jones puts it, "Oklahoma's economy depends on a strong and well-trained workforce." However, the bill could undermine local efforts to combat climate change by limiting energy-efficient construction practices. "The bill would be counterproductive to the energy goals of the city of Columbia," Decker said.

If passed, the bill would prevent municipalities from imposing high-performance standards, leaving it up to builders to decide whether to continue using the most up-to-date practices. Despite the bill, many builders may still choose to use the more energy-efficient materials and systems because they are now more readily available and often cheaper to install than older, less efficient versions.

The final outcome of HB 939 remains uncertain as it heads to the Senate, but its potential impact on Columbia's sustainable building codes and the state’s overall environmental goals is significant.

Originally reported by Nikita Ponomarenko in Columbia Missourian.