HOUSE Act of 2025

The HOUSE Act of 2025 would direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to withdraw energy efficiency standards for newly constructed homes that were adopted in April 2024. Those standards required new homes financed through certain HUD and USDA programs to meet the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code for single-family and low-rise multifamily buildings, and the 2019 ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 for taller multifamily buildings. If enacted, the bill would require these agencies to revert to the older energy efficiency standards that were in place before April 2024.

The bill would also prevent HUD, USDA, and the Department of Veterans Affairs from using federal funds to implement or enforce the updated standards or similar determinations. Additionally, it would restrict HUD and USDA from adopting future updates to energy efficiency codes unless at least 26 states have already adopted those same updated standards. The Federal Housing Finance Agency would be prohibited from finalizing or enforcing energy efficiency standards for housing.

If enacted, this bill could affect the energy efficiency requirements for new homes built with federal financing assistance, potentially reducing construction costs for builders but also potentially increasing energy costs for homeowners over time. The bill is currently under consideration in a House subcommittee and has not yet been voted on by the full chamber.