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Council hears summary of embodied‑carbon proposal; industry flags added costs for large projects
Summary
Staff summarized a proposal (22 73) to cut embodied carbon by about 30% in the 2030 code, phased across code cycles and targeted at larger IBC projects; industry and pilot project experience were cited as evidence the requirement adds review and developer costs.
DES/SBCC staff provided a brief summary of an embodied‑carbon bill (referred to in documents as 22 73) during the Jan. 8 committee meeting, and industry speakers raised concerns about additional costs and review burdens.
Staff described the measure as seeking roughly a 30% reduction in embodied‑carbon emissions for covered projects by the 2030 code, implemented on a glide‑slope across multiple code cycles, and requiring a progress report to the legislature. The requirement would initially apply to large IBC projects — staff summarized the coverage threshold as designers of buildings around 100,000 square feet and larger.
Staff said the approach would ask designers to use regional environmental product declarations (EPDs) and to calculate embodied‑carbon contributions from specified products and materials; jurisdictions would review documentation before final certificates of occupancy for covered projects.
Industry representatives noted pilot projects and said the requirement adds jurisdiction review time and developer cost. A construction representative said a pilot Anderson Construction conducted showed added costs for both the jurisdiction performing reviews and the developer on projects above the draft threshold.
What’s next: Committee members asked staff to include fiscal‑note considerations if embodied carbon is to be legislatively directed. No formal council position was taken at the meeting; staff will monitor and provide more detailed analyses as requested.
