Schools/renewable energy

AN ACT Relating to allowing limited exemptions to renewable 1
energy systems requirements for certain school districts; amending 2
RCW 19.27.195 and 19.27A.020; and adding a new section to chapter 3
19.27A RCW. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 19.27A 6
RCW to read as follows: 7
(1)(a) By January 1, 2027, the state building code council must 8
amend the Washington state energy code to exempt an eligible school 9
district from the requirement to include a renewable energy 10
generation system in each new building or addition larger than 10,000 11
square feet of gross conditioned floor area. 12
(b) The state building code council must not require an eligible 13
school district to achieve additional efficiency package credits to 14
qualify for the exemption in (a) of this subsection (1).15
(2) For the purposes of this section: 16
(a) "Eligible school district" means a school district with 17
enrollments that are less than or equal to 1,000 students and located 18
in one or more of the counties specifically listed in RCW 19.27A.020 19
as one climate zone. 20
S-3623.1
SENATE BILL 5941
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senator Short
Prefiled 12/24/25.
p. 1 SB 5941
(b) "Renewable energy generation system" has the same meaning as 1
renewable energy system in RCW 82.16.110. 2
Sec. 2. RCW 19.27.195 and 2019 c 235 s 6 are each amended to 3
read as follows: 4
The state building code council, in consultation with the 5
department of commerce and local governments, shall conduct a study 6
of the state building code and , in accordance with section 1 of this 7
act, adopt changes necessary to encourage greater use of renewable 8
energy systems as defined in RCW 82.16.110. 9
Sec. 3. RCW 19.27A.020 and 2025 c 1 s 6 (Initiative Measure No. 10
2066) are each amended to read as follows: 11
(1) The state building code council in the department of 12
enterprise services shall adopt rules to be known as the Washington 13
state energy code as part of the state building code.14
(2) The council shall follow the legislature's standards set 15
forth in this section to adopt rules to be known as the Washington 16
state energy code. The Washington state energy code shall be designed 17
to: 18
(a) Construct increasingly energy efficient homes and buildings 19
by the year 2031; 20
(b) Require new buildings to meet a certain level of energy 21
efficiency, but allow flexibility in building design, construction, 22
and heating equipment efficiencies within that framework; and23
(c) Allow space heating equipment efficiency to offset or 24
substitute for building envelope thermal performance.25
(3) The Washington state energy code may not in any way prohibit, 26
penalize, or discourage the use of gas for any form of heating, or 27
for uses related to any appliance or equipment, in any building.28
(4) The Washington state energy code shall take into account 29
regional climatic conditions. One climate zone includes: Adams, 30
Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, 31
Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, 32
Skamania, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman, and Yakima 33
counties. The other climate zone includes all other counties not 34
listed in this subsection (4). The assignment of a county to a 35
climate zone may not be changed by adoption of a model code or rule. 36
((Nothing)) Except as provided in section 1 of this act, nothing in 37
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this section prohibits the council from adopting the same rules or 1
standards for each climate zone. 2
(5) The Washington state energy code for residential buildings 3
shall be the 2006 edition of the Washington state energy code, or as 4
amended by rule by the council. 5
(6) The minimum state energy code for new nonresidential 6
buildings shall be the Washington state energy code, 2006 edition, or 7
as amended by the council by rule. 8
(7)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the 9
Washington state energy code for residential structures shall preempt 10
the residential energy code of each city, town, and county in the 11
state of Washington. 12
(b) The state energy code for residential structures does not 13
preempt a city, town, or county's energy code for residential 14
structures which exceeds the requirements of the state energy code 15
and which was adopted by the city, town, or county prior to March 1, 16
1990. Such cities, towns, or counties may not subsequently amend 17
their energy code for residential structures to exceed the 18
requirements adopted prior to March 1, 1990. 19
(8) The state building code council shall consult with the 20
department of enterprise services as provided in RCW 34.05.310 prior 21
to publication of proposed rules. The director of the department of 22
enterprise services shall recommend to the state building code 23
council any changes necessary to conform the proposed rules to the 24
requirements of this section. 25
(9) The state building code council shall evaluate and consider 26
adoption of the international energy conservation code in Washington 27
state in place of the existing state energy code. 28
(10) The definitions in RCW 19.27A.140 apply throughout this 29
section. 30
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