HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 6029

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                     Energy & Utilities

Title:  An act relating to energy standards for log built homes.

Brief Description:  Prescribing exemptions from energy standards for certain log built homes.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Energy & Utilities (originally sponsored by Senators Owen, Hochstatter, Amondson, Roach, Haugen, Sutherland and Spanel).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Energy & Utilities, February 18, 1994, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Bray, Chair; Finkbeiner, Vice Chair; Casada, Ranking Minority Member; Caver; Johanson; Kessler; Kremen and Long.

Staff:  Fred Adair (786-7110).

Background:  The 1990 Legislature enacted a new residential energy code that was the culmination of a multi-year effort on the part of the Northwest Power Planning Council, the Bonneville Power Administration and others to update the state energy code.  One issue that developed during discussions on the legislation was the impact the proposed energy code would have on log-built homes.  Many of the assumptions about potential energy savings relied on traditional wood frame construction.  The log home industry was concerned that these assumptions would be inapplicable to log-built homes.

The residential energy code sets thermal performance standards that are higher for homes heated with electric resistance space heat than homes heated with other forms of space heating.

The statute directs the State Building Code Council (SBCC) to establish thermal performance standards for log homes that are consistent with the standards established for homes that are heated with sources other than electric resistance space heat.  The log home industry believes that some requirements for log home construction that have been adopted by the SBCC to implement the residential energy code are not cost-effective.  A particular concern has been the amount of insulation that is required in walls.

Summary of Bill:  A log home with a minimum average wall thickness of three and one-half inches and with space heat other than electric resistance is not required to comply with the wall insulation standards of the residential energy code. 

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill is identical to Substitute House Bill 2165, as it was approved in the House and sent to the Senate.  It is an agreed solution to a problem unique to log homes.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  (Pro) Gerald Steele, Log Home Council; and Willy O'Niel, State Building Code Council.