DPD is revising the schedule for adoption of the 2012 editions of the Seattle building, residential, existing building, mechanical, fuel gas, energy, and plumbing codes. We are going to specify that the codes will become mandatory no earlier than October 13, 2013.
2012 Code Adoption Update
DPD is on schedule for new editions of seven codes to take effect next summer or fall. Public review of the 2012 Seattle building, residential, existing building, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and plumbing codes is almost complete. We expect the ordinances adopting these codes to take effect this summer, followed by a 60-day period during which applicants can use either the 2009 or 2012 codes.
2012 Seattle Energy Code Development
Washington State has amended the 2012 IECC (International Energy Conservation Code). With each new edition of the energy code, Seattle enacts additional rules to reduce the amount of energy consumed by non-residential buildings. A limited set of new Seattle amendments will be proposed for the 2012 Seattle code, based on the 2012 IECC.
2012 Energy Codes Take Shape
The State Building Code Council is now finalizing amendments to the 2012 Washington State Energy Code. This will be a modified version of the 2012 IECC (International Energy Conservation Code) instead of our current “home-grown” state code, so it will have an entirely new format. The Seattle Energy Code amendments will carry forward a number of existing Seattle requirements, dispense with a few others, and add some new ones. Both the state and Seattle codes constitute incremental steps towards our long-term conservation targets.
Air Barriers and Pressure Testing
Continuous air barriers, capable of preventing air movement through exterior walls, floors and ceilings, have been required by the Seattle Energy Code for more than a year now. These air barriers can either be specially-designed membrane products or can be made up of typical building materials that are carefully joined together into a continuous barrier.
2012 Washington State Energy Code
Now that the 2012 versions of the I-codes have been published by the International Code Council (ICC), the Washington State Building Code Council (WSBCC) is beginning to ramp up for the 2012 updates to the Washington State Codes.
2009 Seattle Energy Code: Chapter 16, On-Site Renewable Energy Systems, Now in Effect
Chapter 16, On-Site Renewable Energy Systems, of the 2009 Seattle Energy Code is now in effect.
August 2011 Publication Updates
Two new Director’s Rules, DR 8-2011 and DR 11-2011, were published this month.
2009 Seattle Energy Code Publication Updates
Several documents have been updated to reflect changes in the Seattle Energy Code. These documents will all be available for download the first week of May. They may be accessed from the right hand navigation tab on the Seattle Energy Code homepage: www.seattle.gov/dpd/energy.
2009 Seattle Energy Code Update
Several items have been posted on the Seattle Energy Code website within the last month. These can all be accessed from the right hand navigation tab on the Seattle Energy Code homepage.
