HB 1458, from Rep. Davina Duerr (D–Bothell), creates an embodied emissions reduction requirement for large buildings in Washington state.

Embodied carbon emissions (ECE) are defined in the bill as “the amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, manufacturing, transport, installation, maintenance, and disposal of construction products throughout the product's life.”

The legislation sets the goal of 30% reduction in ECE from a “project-wide static baseline” using industry average data sources, or as compared to a reference building further described in the bill.

The requirement applies to all new construction, additions, and renovations 50,000 square feet or larger of buildings in Washington covered by the International Commercial Building Code. It also allows building project owners to demonstrate ECE reductions through an alternative method, by employing a whole building life-cycle assessment.

The bill directs the State Building Code Council to convene an ECE reductions technical advisory group and to adopt rules as needed to accomplish the reductions required in the bill, including how to measure the reductions, definitions for covered products, and reporting requirements.

As AWC continues to learn more about the proposal, we ask cities to share your feedback about the potential impacts of the requirement.

Share your feedback about the potential impacts of the requirement.

Date to remember

HB 1458 is scheduled for public hearing in the House Local Government Committee on Wednesday, February 5 at 8 am.