7/09/2025

LANSING - A major update to Michigan’s housing codes requiring new homes to be more energy efficient which was set to take effect, has been paused due to legal action.  The new rules would change the way every new home in Michigan is built. The new lawsuit has frozen those plans as the future of energy-efficient construction is in limbo.  The Michigan Home Builders Association filed a lawsuit in June to delay implementation of the 2021 housing construction codes, saying the proposed changes would add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of a new home, pushing Michiganders out of the housing market.  Supporters of the 2021 codes say it would reduce long-term energy bills, improve air quality, and shrink the state’s carbon footprint.  Monday, officials agreed to delay the use of the codes while the lawsuit works its way through the legal system.  The last time Michigan’s housing construction codes were updated was in 2015.  No court dates have been set yet for the proceedings.