Clean Buildings are key in the fight for climate justice. Act Now!

Dear Chair Beyreuther and Members of the State Building Code Council (SBCC), I strongly urge the council to implement the full suite of proposals recommended by the Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) and MVPE Committee for the 2024 Washington State Energy Code - Commercial and Residential. Washington is required by law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 95% from 1990 levels by 2050; to achieve a 70% reduction in energy use from 2006 levels by 2031; and to achieve zero fossil fuel buildings by 2031. The proposals recommended by the TAGs keep Washington on the pathway to meeting state law. Strong energy codes are essential to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and, by ensuring that we construct our buildings and houses to prioritize clean energy and energy efficiency from the start, we can future-proof our buildings and protect building owners and home owners from costly retrofits in the future. Research also shows that constructing an all-electric home is cheaper than constructing a home with air conditioning and gas heating. Key topics I support in the proposals include: -Energy efficiency: By making improvements to building envelopes and incentivizing more energy-efficient appliances, building owners and tenants will benefit from lower energy bills over time, as well as using less energy during peak times in both summer and winter, reducing stress on the electric grid. -Electric-readiness: Currently, it can be very expensive in existing buildings to replace a gas appliance with an electric appliance due to insufficient electrical infrastructure. Electric-readiness ensures that when builders install fossil fuel powered appliances in new buildings, there will be electrical panel capacity available should they choose to switch to electric appliances in the future. -Incentivizing AC to heat pump replacement: Highly efficient electric heat pumps provide both heating and cooling, protecting vulnerable residents and workers from extreme heat and smoke during the summer while reducing the air pollution that comes from burning fossil fuels. The most economical time for buildings to switch to a heat pump is when they need to replace their central or rooftop air conditioner, since heat pumps are essentially air conditioners that can be used to heat as well as cool. Please pass the full suite of commercial and residential proposals recommended by the TAGs and MVPE Committee to build on the SBCC’s earlier progress towards state-mandated climate and energy efficiency targets, better protecting Washingtonians from climate and air pollution and costly retrofits in the future.