By Alex Fernandez, Vice President, Government Affairs & Advocacy
Across the country, local governments have passed aesthetic mandates that limit or ban the use of vinyl siding and other polymeric exteriors—despite being durable, cost-effective and energy-efficient building materials. These bans often drive-up housing costs and limit homeowner choice, while doing little to improve community character or resilience.
That’s why recent legislation in South Carolina aimed at curbing local restrictions on vinyl siding is a win for both builders and buyers.
By preventing municipalities from banning code-compliant exterior products, such as vinyl, the bill restores balance between design standards and affordability. It empowers families to build safe, attractive homes without being forced to pay a premium for materials like brick or fiber cement. It also supports American manufacturing jobs in a sector that produces high-quality, modern exterior products right here at home.
To help legislators see the value of these materials firsthand, our industry is opening its doors. Cornerstone Building Brands and the Polymeric Exterior Products Association (PEPA) will host a plant tour this fall in Gaffney, SC, to give local officials an inside look at the innovation, sustainability and job creation happening in their own backyards. This tour will bring policy to life, showing that siding manufacturers are creating innovative, sustainable products while providing good-paying jobs.
When policymakers witness how vinyl siding is made and meet the people behind the process, they leave with a deeper understanding of why material choice matters—not just for builders and homeowners, but also for local economies.
Supporting smart policy starts with education—and that begins on the factory floor.