The Santa Barbara City Council on Feb. 5 approved an amended energy ordinance that is a misguided attempt to address global warming concerns. While the goal is noble and important, it needlessly makes new housing even more expensive in one of the nation’s five least affordable housing markets.The amendments, which will make all new construction and additions exceed existing state standards by about 20 percent were sponsored by local citizens wanting to meet architect Ed Mazri’s 2030 Challenge to reduce energy use nationwide by 50 percent by 2030.New homes in California are almost there already. Under California’s Title 24, homes built today are 35 percent to 40 percent more energy-efficient than those built before 1990. That will increase to 55 percent in 2009 and continue increasing by 15 percent to 20 percent every three to four years. Homes built before 1990 do use energy inefficiently. That is where the city should focus.Santa Barbara has 37,000 homes and has averaged 100 new homes annually since 1990. So it will take 370 years for today’s energy-efficient newer homes to equal the energy-inefficient older homes. Making new homes 20 percent more energy-efficient adds $7,000 to $10,000 in construction costs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by only 1.4 percent. Just spending $2,500 to add better insulation, seal leaky ducts and update air conditioning will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 32 percent in older homes.This illustrates a recurring problem new construction faces, getting regulated not because we are the problem but because we are an easy target. The city really could have a positive impact on global warming by increasing its residential densities and building-height limits instead of making its workforce commute long-distance from Oxnard and Santa Maria.Jerry BuninGovernment affairs directorHome  Builders Association of the Central Coast