The Washington State Non-Residential Energy Code: A New Model Process for Code Development

Consistent with the National Energy Policy Act of 1992 (NEPACT), the State of Washington recently adopted a Non-Residential Energy Code (NREC), based on ASHRAE/Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Standard 90.11989. This process encompassed significantly more effort than simply adopting the entire Standard 90.1. Evaluations indicated less than satisfactory compliance with the previous code, and suggested that the code was too complex and did not incorporate the most cost-effective technologies. Evaluations also showed that funding for enforcement, training, and technical assistance was inadequate. In a political climate where unfunded mandates create widespread discontent, solutions to these problems are essential. The state adopted a simplified NREC, fundamentally based on Standard 90.1. Simplifications include basic format changes, fewer exceptions, and more technology specific requirements. The NREC contains some requirements that are more stringent than Standard 90.1. These were shown to be cost-effective through regional conservation programs. A separate implementation committee addressed the issue of inadequate financial support. Out of this committee, a gas and electric utility consortium was formed that is funding enforcement through a third party inspection pool, assisting smaller jurisdictions, and providing technical assistance through a separate industry group consortium. This approach is a radical departure from traditional implementation programs for energy codes in Washington. Another difference is that industry groups will assume the responsibility of technical assistance for the NREC.