King County Executive Constantine announced Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021 proposed updates for stronger building and energy codes for unincorporated King County, which includes the White Center area.

The county says that this proposal, if adopted by council, will support countywide greenhouse gas emission reduction goals through a reduction of gas consumption for traditional heating systems, and encouraging use of renewable energy.

Members of both the development community and groups committed to fighting climate change joined Constantine at Yesler Terrace Park, adjacent from Sawara, a future high-performance affordable housing community developed by the Seattle Housing Authority designed to meet similar code that the City of Seattle adopted earlier this year.

“The built environment is responsible for nearly a quarter of emissions in King County,” Executive Constantine said. “Strong building and energy codes are a key component of the County’s comprehensive climate strategy. These codes will ensure that new buildings where we live, work, and gather will be more efficient, saving money and energy. High-performance buildings create jobs and provide for comfortable and economical indoor spaces, protecting the health of residents at all income levels.”

Natural gas combustion in commercial and residential buildings accounts for 24 percent of greenhouse gas emissions countywide. The proposed building and energy code amendments – the first such strengthening of construction code in unincorporated King County – will require more efficient building construction, accelerate the adoption of solar energy, and reduce natural gas consumption in commercial buildings and multi-family construction more than four stories tall. The proposed amendments offer other ambitious-but-necessary steps to address the climate crisis and prepare for a more renewable future:

  • Improve energy efficiency to help conserve energy and maintain low utility bills for residents.
  • Disallow fossil fuels in new commercial and large multi-family buildings for space and most water heating, reducing significant greenhouse gas emissions and outdoor air pollution from our building sector.
  • Add renewable energy generation, to help us prepare for the future of electrification and growth of electric vehicles.
  • Create more opportunities for homeowners to install solar power.
  • Enable affordable housing facilities to access solar power on affordable housing, at no cost to the affordable housing developers or operators.

King County’s proposed building and fire code are part of a coordinated, multi-level strategy to address the climate crisis, laid out by the County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan. The plan calls for actions and investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030, lead with climate equity, and prepare for the impacts of climate change.

The transition to electric systems will also improve the quality of life for residents, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who are disproportionately impacted by climate change. The County worked with groups such as the Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County to assure these measures are applied equitably to all commercial and large, multi-family development, including affordable housing.

The King County Council is considering the proposed building and fire code amendments for adoption.