After pausing a heat pump mandate earlier this year after a federal court overturned Berkeley, Calif.’s ban on gas appliances in new buildings, Washington state enacted a new code provision that seems poised to achieve the same goal.
The state Building Code Council recently revised the state building code to require new buildings to meet the same total energy performance as those built with electric heat pumps. Builders have the option to choose gas appliances, but they must find ways to achieve the same efficiency as a building that uses heat pumps.
Washington’s approach enacts a tough standard that makes it difficult and expensive for builders to meet energy efficiency targets without installing heat pumps instead of explicitly mandating them. Heat pumps can put out three to four times as much heat energy as the amount of electricity they consume, making buildings that use them much more energy efficient than those heated by gas.
The code revisions could go into effect as soon as March 15, pending any legal challenges.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jun 29, 2016
OSHA starts evaluation of construction industry noise standards
New studies indicate significant number of construction workers suffer hearing loss.
Seismic Design | Jun 28, 2016
ASTM International updates seismic risk standards
Expected to improve consistency of risk evaluation on commercial real estate transactions.
Codes and Standards | Jun 17, 2016
Feds publish framework for evaluating public-private partnerships
No single factor determines whether a project yields stronger benefit as a P3.
AEC Tech | Jun 17, 2016
Driverless cars could soon start impacting commercial, retail project design
Offsite parking and more space for valet parking lines are among the foreseeable changes.
Codes and Standards | Jun 17, 2016
Bay State moves toward single BIM protocol on state projects
Massport’s guidelines a step forward for integrated BIM initiative.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 14, 2016
San Francisco voters approve tougher affordability requirement on new housing development
Critics charge that the measure may backfire and actually reduce new affordable units.
Concrete | Jun 13, 2016
American Concrete Institute releases new Guide to Shotcrete
Includes information on application procedures, testing.
Healthcare Facilities | Jun 10, 2016
Top 10 health technology hazards include some influenced by space design
ECRI Institute’s annual list includes operational and workflow issues.
Codes and Standards | Jun 9, 2016
Supreme Court ruling could aid developers on properties containing wetlands
Unanimous decision allows landowners to take regulatory decisions straight to court.
Green | Jun 8, 2016
TD Bank Group's renovated Toronto office is first WELL-Certified project under WELL v1
The newly renovated 25,000-sf space achieved gold-level status.