UMSL alumnus David Crigger wrote an Op-Ed piece on building codes that was recently published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. (Photo by August Jennewein)

University of Missouri–St. Louis alumnus David Crigger, BSEd 2009 and MS biology 2013, recently wrapped an internship with the Missouri chapter of the Sierra Club where he conducted research on St. Louis-area building codes. He shared his findings in a recent Op-Ed piece published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Using a special software, he looked at building codes in 12 to 15 different municipalities, including University City, Creve Coeur and Chesterfield. He was “shocked” to find out that most of the St. Louis area uses residential building codes that are not up to the national standard.

“That means that most new homes being built here do not meet the 2012 standard set by the International Codes Council. As a result, hard-earned dollars are escaping through leaky new buildings,” he wrote in the Op-Ed published Nov. 15 in the Post-Dispatch.

Currently, Missouri has no statewide residential building code, so the responsibility of updating to the most recent national code falls to cities, counties and municipalities.

He acknowledged that building a home to updated energy standards is more expensive than not doing so, but it’s actually cost-effective in the long run.

“The additional cost for meeting updated energy standards is recouped within the first year in the form of lower utility bills. The real expense is in building outdated, energy-wasting homes that cost more than necessary to heat and cool.”

Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website to read Crigger’s entire Op-Ed piece.