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
Sustainability | Jun 28, 2017
Mohawk College will have one of the region’s first net-zero energy institutional buildings
The project’s net-zero goals led to the development of a new curtain wall system.
Game Changers | Jan 18, 2017
Turning friction into power
Research on piezoelectricity moves closer to practical applications for infrastructure and buildings.
Energy Efficiency | Jan 5, 2017
Exponential growth in net zero energy buildings predicted for the next two decades
Technology and regulations will be the drivers, says Navigant Research.
Sponsored | Energy Efficiency | Dec 20, 2016
Upgrade brings comfort and efficiency to Euclid Chemical
Euclid Chemical upgrades to a dependable and efficient system that will meet their needs for years to come.
Energy Efficiency | Dec 13, 2016
A Massachusetts college now features the largest zero-net-energy academic building in Northeast
Bristol Community College wants to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Sustainability | Sep 19, 2016
Brussels’ Botanic Center apartment block looks to live up to its name with the addition of 10,000 plants and a rooftop “Chrysalis”
The project, which has been commissioned and is in the design phase, would eliminate CO2 and produce its own energy.
Energy | Sep 13, 2016
Oberlin College to hold conference on post-fossil fuel economy
The gathering will address climate change and new sources of energy.
Sustainability | Aug 30, 2016
New federal project plans must include climate impacts
Agencies must quantify the specific impacts when possible.