HB1770 – Strengthens State energy codes by adding reductions in net energy use, net-zero readiness, and wiring for solar in new buildings for the 2031 code cycle, and by creating a residential stretch code.
Prime Sponsor – Representative Duerr (D; 1st District; Bothell.) (Co-Sponsors Representatives Ramel, Berry, Dolan, Fitzgibbon, and Ryu – Ds) (By request of the Governor.)
Current status – Had a hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy and Technology February 17th. Replaced by a striker which drops the requirements for net-zero readiness by 2034 and for an eventual 80% reduction in net energy consumption from the 2006 Washington State Energy Code. It eliminates the home affordability cost analysis. The bill now simply authorizes local jurisdictions to adopt a residential energy stretch code created by the Code Council to reach the 70% reduction in energy use currently required for the regular 2030 code three years earlier. (It would also require a 70% reduction in emissions, though.) Referred to Rules.
Next step would be – Action by the Rules Committee.
Legislative tracking page for the bill.
SB5669 is a companion bill in the Senate.

In the House – Passed
Had a hearing in Local Government January 19th; replaced by a substitute January 21st. Referred to Rules. Amended on the floor to require an affordability cost analysis for any change in the residential code; to exclude new EV charging loads from the 80% reduction requirement; and to clarify a couple of sentences. Passed by the House February 12th.

Summary –
Substitute –
The substitute replaces a requirement for “wiring for photovoltaic panel installation” with a requirement for “electrical raceways and designated space for solar equipment for photovoltaic panel installation”. It adds an exemption for buildings with inadequate solar exposure, and changes a few other dates and details which are summarized by staff at the beginning of the substitute.

Original bill –
The bill would require the State Energy Code to provide an 80% reduction in residential and non-residential energy use compared to the 2006 baseline by 2034 (through changes in the code adopted in the 2031 cycle; this would be 10% more than the reduction currently required by 2031, through changes in the 2028 cycle.) Since buildings are constructed under the code in place when they’re permitted, it takes a couple of additional years for a code update to actually become effective.)

It would also require those buildings to be “net zero ready”, and to include wiring for photovoltaic panel installation in the future. (The Department of Energy defines “net zero ready” buildings as being so energy efficient that an added renewable energy system could offset all or most of the building’s annual energy. The bill would have the Building Code Council develop the actual rules for meeting the State’s definition of that standard.)

The bill would have the the Department of Commerce propose rules for the technical provisions of an optional statewide residential reach code, and would require the Code Council to adopt one. Any city, town, or county could choose to adopt and enforce it in place of the State Energy Code’s standard requirements. It would have to become effective by 2023, and have to achieve the reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions that would become effective in the regular State residential code by 2034, but could not exceed the “net zero” energy standard.

The bill would also eliminate a provision specifying that space heating equipment efficiency should be allowed to offset or substitute for building envelope thermal performance in the code.