The Washington State Building Code Council is accepting public comment on proposed changes to the 2024 energy code prior to its adoption. Now's the time to remind them to support energy choice, performance-based compliance and housing affordability in the state's energy code.

How to Submit Written Comment

Written public comments may be submitted at any time until 11:59 pm on Aug., 7, 2026. If you want to submit written testimony now, email it to sbcc@des.wa.gov.

IMPORTANT: BIAW will have an action center available later this month for members to more easily submit written testimony with a touch of a button. We are working on providing expanded analysis of what is changing and what it will cost. We will update this page with a link when that is available.  

In the meantime, we recently posted about the top five changes for residential.  

Fortunately, there are some good changes, like adding the energy rating index pathway from the model code, which builders have been requesting for multiple cycles.  

Unfortunately, the code still discourages gas use and adds other changes which increase construction cost without providing meaningful cost savings to consumers.  

How To Testify in Person or Virtually

The SBCC will be holding public hearings for those thatwho would like to provide public comments orally either in person or virtually.  

IMPORTANT: To participate you must fill out a sign-up sheet and email it to sbcc@des.wa.gov at least 30 minutes before the start of the hearing.  

The SBCC will likely limit oral comments to three minutes, segment the hearing by residential and commercial code, and call on people registered to testify.
‍

Western WA Public Hearing

• ‍Date: August. 5, 2026
• ‍Time: 10 am to 5 pm
• ‍Location: 1500 Jefferson St SE, Olympia, WA 98504: Rm #2208 
• ‍Virtual Info: Check SBCC event page

Eastern WA Public Hearing

• Date: Aug.ust 7, 2026
• Time: 10 am to 5 pm
• Location: 808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201: Council Briefing Center  
• ‍Virtual Info: Check SBCC event page

‍Full proposed changes and more…

For reference, below are links to the proposed code changes and relevant rulemaking documents:

Residential Energy Code

• Proposed code changes (CR-102)
• Preliminary cost-benefit analysis (CBA)
• Summary of changes
• List of code change proposals ‍

Commercial Energy Code (multifamily greater than three stories)

• Proposed code changes (CR-102)
• Preliminary cost-benefit analysis (CBA)
• Summary of changes
• List of code change proposals

For more information, reach out to Patrick Hanks, BIAW's Codes & Policy Manager.

‍