Council to tee up site-vs-source energy debate; decision expected in March

The Building Code Council executive committee agreed to introduce a petition on Friday that asks whether the energy code should rely on site energy or source energy as the basis for its calculations, and to allow a full month of public and technical input before the council considers a decision in March.

Greg Johnson, the petitioner and an energy industry representative, said the issue is highly technical and recommended ample time for technical presentations and public comment. The legislative and standing committee chairs and staff discussed options including a focused workshop or a special full-council meeting to receive expert background and public testimony. The committee did not take formal action Friday; instead members agreed to present the question to the full council, solicit written input over the coming month, invite neutral technical experts to provide background, and hear oral testimony in March before any final action.

Council members suggested two presenters for the introduction: one representing the petitioner’s technical view and one representing the energy tag’s perspective, so council members have both sides summarized. Committee members also suggested requesting written technical input from laboratories or agencies that have analyzed site vs. source metrics; staff noted Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) cannot participate directly in a public forum as a federal agency but can provide information outside the meeting. Greg Johnson said he would present technical data statewide and avoid advocacy in an introductory presentation. Representatives of utilities and trade groups on the call urged the council to allow sufficient time for stakeholders to submit data.

The committee directed staff to place the item on the Friday council agenda as an introductory discussion and to schedule March as the meeting for public testimony and a potential decision, with technical experts invited to submit written materials or present in a workshop if the council requests it.