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County official outlines proposed electric-preference building-code amendment at Town of Buena Vista work session
Summary
County building-safety staff presented a draft amendment that would add options in the energy code to incentivize all-electric new construction, adjust energy-efficiency credits, and require future-ready wiring for solar and EV charging; trustees raised affordability and grid-capacity questions and may delay a town hearing pending county action.
At a March 24, 2026 work session, county building-safety official Chad Chadwick walked the Town of Buena Vista trustees through a draft amendment intended to incentivize electric-first pathways in the town's energy code for new construction. Chadwick said the amendment is optional for builders but would adjust energy-efficiency credit pathways to make all-electric designs more attractive and require future-ready wiring for rooftop solar and electric-vehicle charging.
Chadwick said the amendment "does not outline gas in any way, shape or form" and is designed to offer compliance options rather than prohibit natural gas. He cited a 2021 builder survey and a 2022 cost study of the building-decarbonization code when describing the financial impacts: "an all-electric single family home is $3,930 to $8,200 cheaper to construct" than a mixed-fuel home, he said. County sustainability staff member Julie told…
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