Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HR 1792: Georgia Department of Community Affairs; refrain from adopting the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code for residential construction; urge
Last action March 25, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported
A Georgia House resolution urges the Department of Community Affairs not to adopt the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code for home building, and to keep using the 2015 version with Georgia's amendments instead.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs is deciding whether to adopt the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code, a model set of building rules aimed at making new homes more energy efficient. This resolution does not change any law itself; it is a formal statement from House members expressing their position on that decision. The resolution asks the department to refrain from adopting the 2024 code, citing concerns that it would raise construction costs by thousands of dollars per home and that each $1,000 increase in home prices could price more than 5,000 Georgia households out of the housing market. It instead encourages the department to keep using the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code with Georgia's amendments. The Clerk of the House is directed to send copies to the commissioner of community affairs and to the leaders of the State Codes Advisory Committee.
What the bill does
- Urges the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to refrain from adopting the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code for residential construction.
- Encourages the department to keep using the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code with Georgia amendments as the statewide energy code.
- Directs the Clerk of the House to send copies of the resolution to the commissioner of community affairs and to the chairperson and vice chairperson of the State Codes Advisory Committee.
- Does not itself change any Georgia statute or building code; it states the House's position for the department to consider.
Who it affects
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the State Codes Advisory Committee, which decide which energy code applies statewide, along with home builders, developers, and prospective homebuyers who would face different construction costs and energy standards depending on which code is in effect.
Why it matters
Which energy code Georgia adopts affects how much new homes cost to build and how energy efficient they are. This resolution signals House opposition to a stricter, newer code, which could influence the department's decision and, in turn, home construction costs and home prices statewide.
Key provisions
- First resolving clause urges the Department of Community Affairs to refrain from adopting the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code for residential construction.
- Second resolving clause encourages continued use of the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code with Georgia amendments to balance energy efficiency and affordability.
- Final clause directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to the commissioner of community affairs and to the State Codes Advisory Committee's chairperson and vice chairperson.
From the bill
“members of this body urge the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to refrain from adopting the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code for residential construction”
“every $1,000.00 increase in home prices will price out more than 5,000 Georgia households from the housing market”
Discussed in meetings (5)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Special Rules Committee, March 23, 2026 (part 1)
From 0:30:16 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HR 1792 would urge the Department of Community Affairs to pause adoption of the 2024 residential energy code and retain current requirements because of housing affordability concerns. The sponsor said stricter requirements could add tens of thousands of dollars to construction costs. Members asked what the code required, whether delaying it would affect safety, whether the request was enforceable and whether DCA had been consulted. A Home Builders Association of Georgia witness said Georgia currently used the 2015 energy code with amendments, characterized energy requirements as insulation and cost measures rather than safety rules, and argued that added costs would produce limited savings. One member cited estimated increases of $8,000 to $10,000 for smaller homes and $20,000 to $30,000 for larger homes; the witness agreed. The sponsor acknowledged not personally contacting DCA and described the resolution as an expression of legislative concern. The witness said the association had discussed the issue with DCA since the previous summer and that adoption could lead to a January 1 effective date the following year. The committee approved the resolution by voice vote and sent it to Rules.
House Rules Committee, April 2, 2026
From 0:46:56 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HR 1792 would urge the Department of Community Affairs to pause adoption of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code because of housing affordability concerns. A committee member asked whether the update would produce long-term energy savings. The sponsor acknowledged that possibility, citing estimated savings of about $140 to $400 annually, but said construction costs would outweigh those savings in the current market. The sponsor also said only a handful of states had adopted the update and believed Georgia's last standards update was in 2015. No vote was shown.
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Lehman Franklin (R, HD-160)
- Houston Gaines (R, HD-120)
- Will Wade (R, HD-9)
- Matthew Gambill (R, HD-15)
- Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)
- Bruce Williamson (R, HD-112)
Topics
- energy code
- housing affordability
- building codes
- construction costs
- Department of Community Affairs