SBA Issues Strong Rebuke to Transformer Rule Following Builder Input

Regulations
Published
Contact: Alex Strong
[email protected]
Senior Director, Federal Legislative
(202) 266-8279

The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Advocacy has delivered a stinging rebuke to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) proposed rule to regulate energy conservation standards for distribution transformers after NAHB voiced its strong concerns at a recent SBA forum.

At a time when the home building industry is facing a severe shortage of electrical transformers, the proposed rule would dictate that manufacturers increase the efficiency of distribution transformers by a mere tenth of a percentage point. In order to achieve this nominal increase in efficiency, the proposed rule would require manufacturers to transition to a different type of steel that would add months to a lengthy order cycle that already takes more than 16 months to produce and deploy new transformers.

In a seven-page letter to DOE opposing the agency’s proposed transformer rule, the SBA’s Office of Advocacy cited concerns raised by builders during their March 14 teleconference call with the SBA.

“Several [stakeholders] raised concerns about indirect impacts from the proposed rule, including to home building,” the SBA letter stated.

SBA’s letter to DOE went into greater detail regarding home builder concerns regarding DOE’s proposed rule.

“Small home builders noted that delays in transformer installation have led to significant costs to their projects,” the letter noted. “Not having power connected in structures that are already built has led to the potential for mold in the home due to poor ventilation in warmer climates/months.

“Additionally, home builders stated that they cannot close on a home unless the transformer is installed and working, and power is being generated to the home. This creates a ‘winners and losers’ scenario by which utilities are having to pick and choose when and how to connect transformers to a particular development.

“These delays amount to consumers backing out of home closings, and as a result significant costs to the builders. These indirect, cumulative impacts were not adequately considered by DOE in the rulemaking.”

NAHB has also sent comments to the DOE stating how this proposed rule will not only exacerbate the current nationwide shortage of electrical transformers, but also fuel delays in home construction projects across the country as well as aggravating the nation’s housing affordability crisis.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Energy | Advocacy

Sep 16, 2025

Kansas City Builder Testifies Against Energy Code Mandates

The Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City (KCHBA) called on Congress today to oppose energy code mandates that raise the cost of housing and do very little to increase energy efficiency for home owners.

Economics

Sep 16, 2025

Builder Confidence Steady but Future Sales Expectations Hit Six-Month High

Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes was 32 in September, unchanged from the August reading, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. While builder sentiment has hovered at a relatively low reading between 32 and 34 since May, builders expressed optimism that a more favorable interest rate climate could bring hesitant buyers off the sidelines in the final quarter of 2025.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Sep 16, 2025

Builder Confidence Steady but Future Sales Expectations Hit Six-Month High

Builder sentiment levels remained unchanged in September but lower mortgage rates and expectations that the Federal Reserve will soon cut the federal funds rate led to higher future sale expectations in the coming months.

Economics

Sep 15, 2025

Shelter Inflation Continued to Cool

Inflation accelerated to a seven month high in August as tariff-related costs continued to pass through to consumers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) latest report. Core goods prices, which exclude volatile food and energy, rose by 1.5% in August, the fastest annual pace since May 2023.

Economics

Sep 15, 2025

Builders Stay Cautious as Single-Family Permits Extend Downtrend

Single-family housing permits slipped for the seventh month in a row, highlighting affordability headwinds and weak demand. While multifamily permits ticked up, the sector’s volatility leaves the outlook uncertain. The split underscores a housing market still under strain, with single-family softness weighing on broader growth prospects.