Building Electrification

What’s Happening?

Energy use in new buildings in Washington is governed by the Washington State Energy Code (WSEC). Approximately every three years, the Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) updates the state’s energy code to incorporate the latest technologies into new buildings, and continue progress towards state targets for efficiency and fossil fuel-free new construction.

The latest WESC code update, previously scheduled to go into effect October 29, 2023, was postponed until March 15, 2024. It has now gone into effect, and will reduce emissions in new commercial buildings. However, it will not completely eliminate fossil fuel emissions in new buildings.

In 2023, in coordination with energy code experts from the New Buildings Institute (NBI), and affected stakeholders, City staff drafted amendments to the then-proposed WSEC that would help move Olympia commercial buildings further towards full electrification. View summary of changes

Now that the revised WSEC update has been adopted, City staff are working with NBI to modify the proposed amendments as needed. A summary of the revised draft amendments will be available soon.

Why are we doing this?

In February 2021, Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and Thurston County accepted the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan (TCMP) as the regional framework to substantially reduce local contributions to climate change. The TCMP provides a roadmap to reduce community-wide greenhouse emissions 45% below 2015 levels by 2030 and 85% below 2015 levels by 2050. The TCMP identifies building electrification as a key strategy to achieve these climate goals.

In 2021, greenhouse gas emissions in the Thurston County region were about 2.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO₂e). After several years of increasing emissions, 2021 emissions were below the 2015 baseline. However, emissions are still not on track to meet the 2030 and 2050 regional targets. The built environment, including the consumption of electricity and natural gas to power, heat, and cool our buildings, is the largest source of regional greenhouse gas emissions (54% in 2021). After electricity, natural gas represents the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment in the Thurston region (more than 20% in 2021).

How will building electrification help?

Building electrification means using electricity, rather than fossil fuels such as natural gas, for space heating, water heating, and cooking in homes and buildings. As electricity is increasingly produced by non-emitting, renewable sources, such as wind and solar, replacing fossil fuel use in buildings with efficient, all-electric buildings will substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.

Washington already has one of the cleanest electric grids in the country, and the state is currently on a pathway towards a fully decarbonized electric grid by 2045.

Four cities and counties in Washington (Seattle, Shoreline, Bellingham and King County) have adopted commercial energy code amendments to limit the use of fossil fuels in commercial buildings and large multifamily buildings (four floors or taller). Key decarbonization elements of these policies included:

• Eliminating fossil fuels like gas and electric resistance from most water heating and space heating systems in new construction and substantial alterations.
• Requiring electrical outlets for any gas appliances, to allow later conversion to electric appliances.
• Increased energy efficiency and solar readiness requirements.