Nor does H.R. 2998 do much to address the more than 94 million homes built before 1991, when energy efficiency codes became the norm, NAHB says. The bill misses the mark because older, inefficient homes are the source of the vast majority of energy loss associated with buildings, according to the association.

However, home builders and remodelers can and do play an important part in helping to reduce the nation's energy dependence, Robson pointed out. "The NAHB National Green Building Program is educating our builders and their customers and providing stringent, third-party certification for all green homes," he said. "Our members are eager to go green because that's what their customers want, and building in energy efficiency is a very important part of sustainable construction."

Robson called on Congress to create more balance in the final legislation by taking a page from solutions that already have reaped great benefits - such as this year's tax breaks for energy-efficient appliance, window and insulation purchases that can spur home owners to make needed changes to their homes. A more reasonable goal, such as a 30 percent increase in residential energy efficiency by 2012, a resolution unanimously passed by the NAHB Board of Directors, makes more sense, he said.

"This isn't about making it easier on builders. It's about coming up with a solution that makes sense and takes a balanced approach -- not one that looks only to new buildings for energy reductions," Robson said. "We are at a particularly fragile point in our economic recovery, and saddling home buyers with additional costs makes it even more difficult to get a mortgage when credit is already tight.

"Let's look at ways to recover the energy lost in utility transmission. Let's incentivize innovation in renewable energy. Not only can we not afford such drastic change to new home construction, but more importantly, we cannot afford to wait for new homes to solve this problem," Robson said.