All new construction in Washington state, both commercial and residential, will require high-performance heat pumps beginning July 2023, making it the second state to do so.
The Washington Building Code Council made the ruling earlier this month, tacking new home construction to the already established commercial ruling. The council voted to enact the requirement for new commercial construction in April this year.
Heat pumps rely on the movement of cold and warm air between the inside and outside of a home and are powered by electricity. It can be used for both air conditioning and heating.
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“Since they move heat around rather than generating it from burning something, they are much more efficient than combustion heating,” Jonathan J. Buonocore, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health at the Boston University School of Public Health told Popular Science. “By replacing a natural gas furnace, oil heater, wood stove, or some other combustion source, you’re benefiting the environment by replacing a source of emissions of greenhouse gasses or other air pollution.”
According to local news, the vote came after months of “contentious” public testimony. The council voted 9-5 in favor of the requirement. One argument against the ruling was that it would push home prices higher.
Other state mandates include Maine’s October 2021 promise to installing 100,000 heat pumps by 2025 and California’s statewide electric heat pump requirement also starting in 2023.
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Caroline Broderick
Managing Editor
Caroline Broderick is a former Managing Editor for Pro Remodeler.