Adopt MUBEC Locally MUBEC-Maine uniform Building Energy Code

1. Adopt MUBEC Locally MUBEC-Maine uniform Building Energy Code ENTER TOWN NAME HERE

2. You and Your Family Have a Right to aSafe, Affordable, and Comfortable Home 82% of homeowners believe they have a right to a home that meets national minimum energy standards. 70% agree that building energy codes protect homeowners from excessive energy costs. • Building energy codes save money and resources • And ALSO indicate quality construction • A home built to code means one that is… • More comfortable to live in • More affordable to heat and cool

3. Energy Codes are Now the Norm

4. What is MUBEC and why does it matter? MUBEC - Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code  • Ensures buildings meet minimum standards for safe, healthy, energy-efficient construction in Maine. • Reduces Mainers’ energy costs and dependence on heating oil. • Reduces the cost of doing business in Maine for builders, contractors and others by creating a consistent, reasonable, coordinated set of building codes across the state. • Established by Maine Legislature in 2008, and is consistent with standards used in most states.

5. Without MUBEC, Mainers Lose $$$ • Despite the state’s heavy reliance on heating oil, a study in 2008 found that 85% of new homes in Maine did not meet a common minimum energy standard. • Not having MUBEC implemented statewide in 2011 would mean Mainers forfeit the following estimated energy savings: • $30 million annually by 2020 • $60 million annually by 2030

6. An energy efficient home that complies with MUBEC… can save homeowners $235 or more each year!

7. Maine without MUBEC • In 2011, Governor LePage signed into law LD 1416—whichpassed by a tiny margin—effectivelygutting MUBEC, and ignoring a need for consistent statewide regulation… • …Forcing communities under 4,000 population to opt-in to MUBEC and carry the added burden of administering and enforcing the code locally. MUBEC does not apply in any town or city in red.

8. Maine without MUBEC • By not opting-in to MUBEC locally, Mainers are potentially vulnerable to: • Shoddy and unsafe new construction • Higher energy bills and less comfortable homes • Unequal playing field for builders and developers • Unfair advantage to contractors who aren’t building to certain minimum standards, and therefore are building less quality homes • High dependence on heating oil to last another generation.

9. Be a part of the growing momentum… adopt MUBEC in your town!

10. Testimony in Support of MUBEC • “The Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC) was adopted 3 years ago with strong support of the construction, design, and business community in order to improve the public health, safety, and welfare in Maine…I strongly urge you to respect the work of your previous legislators, and to maintain the MUBEC as adopted.” –James Pelsor, AIA, Bunker & Savage Architects, Augusta • “Maine is far behind on energy efficiency in new buildings; implementing the energy code passed in 2009 (MUBEC) will save homeowners millions of dollars per year on energy costs. The uniform code levels the playing field for developers and builders which will facilitate economic investments in Maine.” –Barry Saxe, New Horizons Construction, Freeport

11. Testimony in Support of MUBEC • “MUBEC is essential for the construction of safe and healthy buildings... it provides guidance for minimizing radon risk in new homes. 165 people in Maine are diagnosed with lung cancer from radon exposure each year. It’s both cheaper and easier to build radon out of a house at the point of construction, than to mitigate it later in an existing home.” –Christine Crocker, Maine Indoor Air Quality Council, Augusta • “We aren’t building homes just for today but homes that will be around for tomorrow. Maine spends a lot of money each year assisting families with their heating costs, either with fuel assistance payments and/or low cost weatherization assistance on older and poorly built homes. Building homes to higher energy standards will save taxpayer money now and with far greater savings in the future. It is far easier to build a new home to high energy conservation stands than it is to retrofit existing homes.” –Richard Tarr, Lapointe Lumber, Gardiner

12. What Can (Town Name) Do? Adopt MUBEC locally • Download the Community Action Toolkit for more info • Email/Call your local elected official and/or code official encouraging local MUBEC adoption • Find out about upcoming events/voting opportunities • Get MUBEC approved through a Town Meeting vote • Educate your family and neighbors about the benefits of building energy codes and talk to builders in your community

13. Towns across Maine are starting this process… somehave already adopted MUBEC at a town meeting!

14. What Can (Town Name) Do? Adopt MUBEC locally • Download the Maine Community Action Toolkit • The Toolkit includes: • MUBEC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) • Code Factsheets and Home Energy Checklist • For consumers and advocates • Model ordinance language – enforcing MUBEC • Testimony from Maine groups and businesses in support of MUBEC • Press release template • Share your local adoption story!

15. MUBEC Has Broad Support • [Choose from the list below in the Notes Section, six to ten organizations to list on this slide in support of MUBEC…] • [Add additional local organizations that you know of and are supportive of MUBEC…]

16. Questions • [PRESENTER’S CONTACT INFO HERE] • Download the Community Action Toolkit - http://www.agreenerfuture.org/maine