H-4110.1

HOUSE BILL 2931


State of Washington	65th Legislature	2018 Regular Session

By Representatives Doglio, Fey, Tarleton, Jinkins, and Slatter

Read first time 01/25/18. Referred to Committee on Technology & Economic Development.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that energy efficiency is the cheapest, quickest, and cleanest way to meet rising energy needs, confront climate change, and boost our economy. Energy codes are one of the most effective policies for reducing the energy use of buildings.

(2) The state building code council has been directed to design an energy code that constructs increasingly energy efficient homes and buildings that help achieve the broader goal of building zero fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions homes and buildings by the year 2031. Further, many jurisdictions have ambitious climate targets that are in line with or exceed Washington state's own climate reduction goals. However, jurisdictions are prevented from adopting stricter residential energy codes than the state energy code.

(3) The legislature finds that providing jurisdictions two additional options in going beyond the state's residential energy code gives jurisdictions more flexibility and ability to reach climate goals, while limiting the number of different regulations under which homebuilders work.

(1) The state building code council shall adopt rules to be known as the Washington state energy code as part of the state building code.

(2) The council shall follow the legislature's standards set forth in this section to adopt rules to be known as the Washington state energy code. The Washington state energy code shall be designed to:

(a) Construct increasingly energy efficient homes and buildings that help achieve the broader goal of building zero fossil-fuel greenhouse gas emission homes and buildings by the year 2031;

(b) Require new buildings to meet a certain level of energy efficiency, but allow flexibility in building design, construction, and heating equipment efficiencies within that framework; and

(3) The Washington state energy code shall take into account regional climatic conditions. One climate zone includes: Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman, and Yakima counties. The other climate zone includes all other counties not listed in this subsection (3). The assignment of a county to a climate zone may not be changed by adoption of a model code or rule. Nothing in this section prohibits the council from adopting the same rules or standards for each climate zone.

(4) The Washington state energy code for residential buildings shall be the 2006 edition of the Washington state energy code, or as amended by rule by the council.

(5) The minimum state energy code for new nonresidential buildings shall be the Washington state energy code, 2006 edition, or as amended by the council by rule.

(6)(a) ((Except as provided in (b) of this subsection,)) The Washington state energy code for residential structures shall preempt the residential energy code of each city, town, and county in the state of Washington.

(b) ((The state energy code for residential structures does not preempt a city, town, or county's energy code for residential structures which exceeds the requirements of the state energy code and which was adopted by the city, town, or county prior to March 1, 1990. Such cities, towns, or counties may not subsequently amend their energy code for residential structures to exceed the requirements adopted prior to March 1, 1990.)) Commencing with the 2018 edition, the state energy code for residential structures shall provide three options:

(ii) An intermediate efficiency option that results in dwelling units that use ten percent less energy annually than those built in accordance with the lower efficiency option; and

(iii) A high efficiency option that results in dwelling units that use twenty percent less energy annually than those built in accordance with the lower efficiency option.

(c) The high efficiency option detailed in (b)(iii) of this subsection shall be the default option. Cities, towns, and counties shall be permitted to select the intermediate efficiency option or the lower efficiency option prior to the effective date of each new edition of the Washington state energy code.

(7) The state building code council shall consult with the department of enterprise services as provided in RCW 34.05.310 prior to publication of proposed rules. The director of the department of enterprise services shall recommend to the state building code council any changes necessary to conform the proposed rules to the requirements of this section.

(8) The state building code council shall evaluate and consider adoption of the international energy conservation code in Washington state in place of the existing state energy code.