The Washington State Building Code Council voted to delay the effective date of code modifications that ban the use of natural gas in new commercial and residential buildings. The new effective date for all building codes is October 29, 2023, which was previously set for July 1. To consider stakeholder proposals to modify sections in the commercial and residential energy codes, staff were directed by the council to convene two Technical Advisory Groups.
These modifications were approved last year and require builders to install heat pumps in new buildings built after July 1st. According to Puget Sound Business Journal, this move came nearly three months after a coalition of businesses, homeowners trade groups and union members filed suit in Thurston County Superior Court with an aim at blocking these energy codes due their potential impact on housing affordability.
Washington State is among those taking a leading role when it comes strict enforcement of such regulations as reported by Business Journal .
