Washington Relaxes Rebuilding Energy Rules After Fires

An emergency rule lets homeowners rebuild after disasters under older, looser energy codes while the state weighs stricter efficiency standards.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Utilities

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a single wooden house frame on a dry hillside under a pale sky, evoking rebuilding after disaster. — Washington's Building Code Council approved an emergency rule easing energy-efficiency requirements for homeowners rebuilding after disasters, including Spokane wildfire victims, as Gov. Bob Ferguson cited affordability. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should homes rebuilt after disasters be allowed to meet looser energy efficiency rules?

Washington's Building Code Council passed an emergency rule relaxing energy efficiency requirements for homeowners rebuilding after disasters. The rule follows wildfires that destroyed hundreds of homes in Spokane in August.

Why it matters

Gov. Bob Ferguson argued the state had a moral obligation to make rebuilding more affordable amid wildfire season and a housing crisis. The move reflects a prioritization of lower construction costs over stricter energy efficiency rules for residents rebuilding after entire neighborhoods were leveled.

The emergency rule lasts up to 120 days and permits rebuilt homes to follow codes no earlier than 2015, with no more than 500 additional square feet. Local governments must still decide whether to offer relief and which path to allow.

The players

Gov. Bob Ferguson

Governor of Washington who pressured the Building Code Council to pass the relaxation and framed it as a response to wildfires and the state's housing crisis.

Washington State Building Code Council

State body responsible for adopting and updating the building codes that govern construction and energy efficiency in Washington.

The details

Relief is limited to homes damaged or destroyed in a disaster covered by a governor's emergency proclamation, and the applicant must have owned the property at the time of the disaster. Relief does not apply if the property is sold, except to a family member.

August: Spokane Complex fires destroyed hundreds of homes.
Up to 120 days: Duration of the emergency rule.
Dec. 1: Deadline for the state's new energy code.

Roadmap

The emergency rule departs from Washington's trajectory toward tighter efficiency standards under its 2031 target. The Building Code Council is still moving toward a new energy code by Dec. 1, while a proposed bill would pause state building code updates for 10 years and scrap that target.

Homeowners in disaster-declared areas may rebuild under an older energy code, but only if the property was owned at the time of the disaster and is not sold to someone outside the family. Anyone considering rebuilding should confirm with their local government which relief path, if any, it has chosen.

The takeaway

Rebuilding rules after disasters can shift quickly when housing costs and energy standards collide. Homeowners should track both the emergency rule's 120-day window and the state's December energy code deadline.

What happens next

The Building Code Council is moving toward a new state energy code with a deadline of Dec. 1, and building groups say the proposed pause on code updates will return in the coming legislative session.