Phasing Out Natural Gas
Washington has become the first state to require new buildings switch to electric pumps rather than rely on natural gas. Starting in 2023, the mandate covers new commercial buildings and large multifamily apartments, which will no longer use natural gas or other fossil fuels for much of their heating.
According to E & E News, Washington’s mandate came via revisions to the state building code, a development that underscores how updates to existing building standards — often deeply technical processes that prize energy efficiency and official consensus over political symbolism — are increasingly at the center of fights over natural gas.