Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Local Government Committee
HB 1015
Brief Description: Concerning energy labeling of residential buildings.
Sponsors: Representatives Duerr, Ramel, Ryu, Berry, Reed, Fitzgibbon, Macri, Doglio, Simmons, Peterson, Pollet, Kloba and Parshley.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Authorizes cities and counties to require an owner of a single-family residence to obtain a home energy performance report prior to publicly advertising the home for sale, with conditions, and provides the required elements of a home energy performance report.
  • Directs the Department of Commerce to develop a standardized format for home energy performance reports.
Hearing Date: 1/17/25
Staff: Elizabeth Allison (786-7129).
Background:

Home Energy Performance Report.

A home energy performance report, also known as a home energy audit or a home energy assessment, determines how much energy a home uses and shows energy inefficiencies.? The assessment generally involves a room-by-room examination of a home by a home energy professional.
Summary of Bill:

Cities and counties are authorized to require an owner of a single-family residence to obtain a home energy performance report and make it available before the residence may be publicly advertised for sale.? A city or county may not impose a home energy performance report requirement until the city or county has conducted an analysis of the financial impacts of such a requirement and adopted a program to mitigate those impacts.

?

A home energy performance report required by a city or county must include specified information, including:

  • a home energy score using methods developed by the United States Department of Energy;
  • an estimate of the total annual energy used in the residence in retail units of energy by fuel;
  • an estimate of the total monthly or annual cost of energy purchased for use in the residence in dollars, by fuel type, based on the current average annual retail residential energy price of the utility serving the covered building at the time of the report;
  • at least one comparison of a home energy performance score that provides context for the range of potential scores;
  • the identification of efficiency measures that may be installed directly by consumers;
  • the amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the energy consumption of the residence, in tons per year by fuel type, with at least one comparison measure; and
  • the identification of the most significant energy efficiency improvements with respect to the residence.

?

The home energy performance report must be prepared by a qualified home energy auditor who is certified through a program approved by the United States Department of Energy.

?

The Department of Commerce must develop, maintain, and make available a standardized format for home energy performance reports.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 7, 2025.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.