The Washington State Building Code Council has voted to require heat pumps for all new residential construction starting in July 2023.
The new mandate has drawn criticism over concerns that it will add costs to housing construction, especially given current supply chain challenges for heat pumps.
An official with the Building Industry Association of Washington said the measure was a “de facto ban on natural gas” because it would mean that bringing in gas lines for cooking, backup heating, and decorative fireplaces would be cost prohibitive.
The code also applies to system upgrades, the official said. Homeowners that would want to upgrade the output of their gas furnaces would have to install a heat pump instead.
One Washington legislator said the mandate would mean higher up-front costs that make housing less affordable, increased potential for brownouts and blackouts due to grid-capacity constraints, and the prospect of higher energy bills.
Related Stories
75 Top Building Products | Dec 16, 2019
Top Building Systems Products for 2019
FabricAir’s ceiling-hung fabric duct and Ellumi Lighting’s bacteria-killing lights are among the 13 new building systems products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 12, 2019
Top Building Envelope Products for 2019
Sto's beetle-inspired exterior coating and Dörken Systems' UV-resistant vapor-permeable barrier are among the 28 new building envelope products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report.
Energy Efficiency | Aug 8, 2019
Florida’s first net-zero K-12 school opens
The building is distinguished by its rooftop solar array and its air-tight envelope.
Energy Efficiency | Dec 5, 2018
Harvard debuts HouseZero as a possible response to making existing buildings more efficient
Hundreds of embedded sensors will inform energy use reduction research.
Sustainability | Sep 10, 2018
At Penn State, sustainability is more than a goal
The university, encompassing 13 colleges and 24 campuses, adheres to protocols established by the UN.
Energy | Aug 6, 2018
Will California lead the way to energy independence?
The architecture, engineering, and construction industry will have to make major adjustments in the years ahead now that many state, city and local governments are getting serious about creating a carbon neutral buildings sector.
Sponsored | Energy Efficiency | Jul 2, 2018
Going solar has never been easier
There is an efficient system for mounting solar panels to roofs and turning roof real estate into raw power.
Energy Efficiency | Apr 23, 2018
New toolkit offers local governments energy-saving strategies for buildings
Provides estimates on savings for various policies.
Green | Apr 13, 2018
evolv1 earns Canada’s first Zero Carbon Building-Design certification
The multi-tenant commercial office building is currently under construction.
Sustainability | Apr 10, 2018
Thermal comfort, big impact
CallisonRTKL’s Pablo La Roche explains how outdoor thermal comfort could mitigate the effects of climate change.
