Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 at 2:00 p.m., in the Commissioner's Auditorium located at the Kittitas County Courthouse, Ellensburg, Washington, to consider proposed changes to the County Building Code, Chapter 14.04 to adopt the Washington State Energy Code 2009 edition as approved by Washington State that went into effect January 1, 2011. 

 

In November 2009, the Washington State Building Code Council (Building Code Council) completed adoption of the Washington State Energy Code 2009 edition (WSEC).  The Washington State Energy Code 2009 edition (WSEC), as adopted by the Building Code Council was originally set to become effective and implemented on July 1, 2010.  On June 8th, 2010, the Governor, Christine O. Gregoire, requested the Building Code Council take action to delay the effective date of the new Washington State Energy Code 2009 edition (WSEC), for a period of nine months, until April 1, 2011.  The Building Code Council responded with an emergency rule on June 11, 2010 to temporarily delay the effective implementation date for the Washington State Energy Code 2009 edition (WSEC) for 120 days from July 1, 2010 to October 29, 2010. 

 

On October 15, 2010 the Building Code Council voted to implement and make effective the Washington State Energy Code 2009 edition (WSEC) on January 1, 2011.  Hearings were held by the Building Code Council during September in both Olympia and Spokane.

 

On November 19, 2010, the Building Code Council adopted an emergency rule amending the Washington State Energy Code 2009 edition (WSEC) regarding residential duct testing for existing homes.  This will be followed by the regular rulemaking process.

 

By way of summary, the Kittitas County Ordinance shall amend the current Building Code Chapter 14.04 to adopt the new Washington State Energy Code 2009 edition (WSEC).

 

The code proposed for adoption is listed below with the Scope and Intent provided as listed in the code.

 

Washington State Energy Code 2009 edition (WSEC):

101.2 Purpose and Intent: The purpose of this Code is to provide minimum standards for new or altered buildings and structures or portions thereof to achieve efficient use and conservation of energy.  The purpose of this Code is not to create or otherwise establish or designate any particular class or group of persons who will or should be especially protected or benefitted by the terms of this Code.  It is intended that these provisions provide flexibility to permit the use of innovative approaches and techniques to achieve efficient use and conservation of energy. These provisions are structured to permit compliance with the intent of this Code by any one of the following three paths of design:
     1. A systems analysis approach for the entire building and its energy-using sub-systems which may utilize renewable energy sources, Chapters 4 and 9.
     2. A component performance approach for various building elements and mechanical systems and components, Chapters 5 and 9.
     3. A prescriptive requirements approach, Chapters 6 and 9.
Compliance with any one of these approaches meets the intent of this Code. This Code is not intended to abridge any safety or health requirements required under any other applicable codes or ordinances.  The provisions of this Code do not consider the efficiency of various energy forms as they are delivered to the building envelope. A determination of delivered energy efficiencies in conjunction with this Code will provide the most efficient use of available energy in new building construction.

 

The proposed Ordinance and copies of the complete code text, may be reviewed during normal business hours at the Kittitas County Community Development Services Department (CDS) 411 N. Ruby Street, Ellensburg, WA   98926, or you may request a copy of the proposed Ordinance by calling Dan Davis at the CDS Department at 509-962-7035 or 509-962-7506.

Anyone with an interest in this matter is urged to attend said hearing where all testimony will be taken. Written comments may be received at 205 W 5th Ave. STE 108, Ellensburg, WA 98926 at or prior to the hearing.

Kittitas County complies with all ADA requirements.