Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan signed into law new updates to Seattle’s building energy code, which will eliminate fossil fuels for most space and water heating, increase energy efficiency, and improve access to onsite renewables like solar. After transmitting to City Council in December 2020, Seattle City Council voted unanimously to pass the proposed updates on February 1, 2021. The code covers all new commercial buildings and large multifamily buildings above three stories and will go into effect on March 15.
“Burning fossil fuels pollutes the air we breathe both indoors and out, especially for children, seniors, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. Seattle’s buildings are one of the largest and fastest growing source of this pollution,” said Mayor Durkan. “Seattle’s energy code is not only among the strongest in the nation, it prioritizes protecting the health of our most impacted populations and is a critical mechanism to support our City’s transition to a clean energy future.”
Building energy use is responsible for more than one-third of Seattle’s overall greenhouse gas emissions, with 86 percent of these building sector emissions resulting directly from fracked gas. Without the code changes, the City expects that greenhouse gas emissions from buildings would be up to 10 percent higher by 2050.
“Seattle’s energy code update will continue the city’s longstanding place as one of the strongest in the nation for energy efficiency,” said Nathan Torgelson, Director of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. “We expect these code changes to result in cleaner and more efficient buildings, making this a better overall investment for building owners and a healthier and more comfortable environment for people living and working in these buildings.”
The energy code updates do not apply to single family homes or low-rise multifamily homes, as the state prohibits city amendments to the residential energy code. Key changes for commercial and large multifamily buildings through the new code include:
- Eliminating all gas and most electric resistance space heating systems
- Eliminating gas water heating in large multifamily buildings and hotels
- Improving building exteriors to improve energy efficiency and comfort
- Creating more opportunities for solar power
- Requiring electrical infrastructure necessary for future conversion of any gas appliances in multifamily buildings
The final updates resulted from months of stakeholder engagement with the City’s Department of Construction and Inspections and Office of Sustainability and Environment. A broad coalition of environmental advocates, labor, public health, and affordable housing advocates came together and spoke to the benefits these updates will bring at a series of council hearings in late January.
Updating the commercial building energy code is one of multiple strategies the City is pursuing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the buildings sector. The City of Seattle is receiving technical support in developing the energy code from the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge. Seattle is one of 25 cities participating in the Climate Challenge, a program to significantly deepen and accelerate their efforts to tackle climate change and promote a sustainable future for their residents.
For more information about the energy code updates, including the code language, visit the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections energy code web page.
Source: Seattle Office of the Mayor
