Utility Dive
Summary
The Washington State Energy Code, which went into effect for commercial and residential buildings in March 2024, sets energy use benchmarking, energy use intensity target levels and compliance deadlines for different building types in an effort to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions as well as setting requirements for district energy systems.
Building heating and cooling systems account for about 43% of energy use in the U.S., contributing to greenhouse gas emissions due to fossil fuel use, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Against that backdrop, more cities and communities are turning to district energy systems, which can use low-carbon energy sources like waste heat to decarbonize buildings without straining the electrical grid, Corix said.
While retrofitting buildings can be challenging and expensive, a district energy system makes it easier to incorporate “rapidly evolving renewable energy technologies,” the Port of Bellingham said.
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