Little Rock is considering new requirements to test heating- and air-duct installations in all new residential structures in the city, with the goal of saving homebuyers or renters money on utility bills.
Such energy-efficient standards used to be required, but they were deleted in the 2014 Arkansas Energy Code, city officials said.
Little Rock's Planning and Development Department is asking the city Board of Directors to pass an ordinance that would put some of the standards for testing residential structures back in place within city limits.
The current state code doesn't require testing for mechanical installations such as heating and air. Air leakage in ductwork is the single biggest contributor to energy loss, according to a memorandum on the proposed ordinance provided to the board.
Another concern is related to spray-foam insulation, which, if not properly ventilated, can produce deadly carbon monoxide, mold and mildew, the memorandum said.
The proposed ordinance would require all new residential structures to have the ducts tested, approved and certified. All spray-foamed structures would be required to pass what is known as a blower door test, and be approved and certified.
City staff members have been meeting with the Greater Little Rock Home Builders Association and the Little Rock Realtors Association for the past year about residential energy matters and the proposed ordinance.
Jon Callahan, president of the Home Builders Association, said he thinks the resulting proposal is a good compromise.
"We want to build good, energy-efficient houses, but we didn't want to do that and basically put somebody out of an opportunity to buy a home," Callahan said.
He said the groups negotiated for other requirements to be taken out of the ordinance, because they felt the requirements would have cost homeowners more money, especially on smaller homes.
Currently, ductwork is just visually inspected.
"It's not like a water leak, you can't see air when ductwork leaks," Callahan said.
"We fought really hard to try to get the ordinance to where it made good, common sense, and I think we've come to that conclusion. We're going to have a good, sealed-up ductwork and heading toward a more energy-efficient house that performs better, that way it protects homeowners, and also allows the builders to know that their ductwork is sealed correctly," he said.
Stuart Mackey, chairman of the Little Rock Realtors Association's legislative affairs committee, said the group also appreciated being able to be involved in the process.
"Since we understand this would be the first measure of its kind in central Arkansas, it remains to be seen exactly what the impact will be for homebuyers," Mackey said. "It's our hope that limited duct testing on new residential structures, as proposed, will not prove to be an undue burden for those buying new homes."
The Little Rock ordinance also would require a sticker be placed on a home's electrical panel showing the levels of insulation and other installed energy components, as well as the date of the duct testing or blower door test.
Any new residential structure issued a building permit six month after the passage of the ordinance would be subject to the new requirements.
"These adopted amendments are designed to save the consumer in utility costs," the memorandum said.
The Little Rock Board of Directors will vote on the proposal March 20.
Metro on 03/11/2018