(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:

(a) The energy resources of this state and the nation are essential to the preservation of the public health, welfare, and safety and to the maintenance of a healthy economy;

(b) The conservation and efficient use of said energy resources are necessary if the quality of life in this state is to be maintained and continued;

(c) The purpose of this article is to provide minimum uniform statewide insulation standards to achieve energy conservation in the construction and renovation of residential buildings and to encourage energy conservation by other means in the construction and renovation of residential buildings, recognizing that such energy conservation by insulation or other means must be life cycle cost-effective in order to minimize the adverse impact on residential life-styles and to continue to strive to make reasonably priced housing available to all residents of this state;

(d) The general assembly recognizes the technological improvements developed by the home-building industry in connection with energy conservation for residential buildings and wishes to encourage continued technological improvement by the home-building industry in order to exceed the insulation energy conservation standards contained in this article;

(e) It is the further purpose to establish a process which will result in the development of residential energy conserving performance standards by September 1, 1977. Such standards shall consider all uses of energy generated by fossil fuels, used within a dwelling, including energy used for lighting, cooking, appliances, maintenance of air temperature, and heating water and the energy lost through the building envelope and exhaust pipes. It is consistent with public policy to encourage the rehabilitation, preservation, and restoration of buildings built before September 1, 1977.