Washington State Energy Code Roadmap to 2031

Codes And Policy / Energy Codes

Many organizations and jurisdictions have adopted a range of building performance goals over the past decade that have significantly changed the conversation about energy codes and building energy performance.  The primary policy driver for the Washington State Energy Code increases in stringency is the language adopted by the Washington State Legislature, which reads:

  • Residential and Nonresidential construction permitted under the 2031 state energy code must achieve a 70 percent reduction in annual net energy consumption (compared to the 2006 state energy code) (RCW 19.27A.160), and
  • Construct increasingly 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 (RCW 19.27A.020)

NBI worked with Washington State and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) to provide context for the policy and code performance goals for new residential and commercial buildings in Washington law and identify the mechanisms and cycles by which code provisions can evolve to meet these goals.  These code improvements will occur in incremental steps and the roadmap document will help identify the order and priority that is needed to lay the groundwork for subsequent code and policy strategies to improve code language.  The improvements can be mapped into the planned code cycles remaining between now and the target achievement date for Washington’s policy goals for building stock.

To read the Washington State Energy Code Roadmap