Energy Code - Forms

The 2021 Washington state codes will be mandatory on March 15, 2024. The effective date for the 2021 Seattle codes is no sooner than July 1, 2024. Applicants may use the 2021 Washington codes with the draft Seattle amendments before March 15, 2024, when accompanied by a code modification request. Between March 15, 2024, and the Seattle code effective date, applicants may use either the 2018 or 2021 Seattle codes without a code modification request. Please visit the 2021 Seattle Code Adoption webpage for updates.

Residential Buildings

Includes single-family, duplex, and townhouse, plus 1, 2, or 3-story multifamily buildings.

You must submit the duct leakage and heating sizing forms, plus the Total UA Alternative form if you are using that path. The Insulation Certificate must be posted in the completed building. These forms and related information, from WSU, are available on the WSU Energy Code website.

Prescriptive Method. This approach is the simplest method of WSEC code compliance. A project complies with building envelope requirements if it meets all minimum insulation levels required for the applicable climate zone. This Excel file provides a method for documenting compliance with the prescriptive standards.

Glazing Schedule: Using the Prescriptive Method, all glazing must have an "area weighted average" U-Factor of 0.30. This means that some windows can have a higher U-factor than 0.30 and some can have a lower U-factor than 0.30, as long as the area weighted average is U-0.30 or lower. You may need to complete this form to document glazing compliance when applying for your building permit.

Heating System Sizing Calculator: We recommend you use the HVAC sizing tool based on Manual J from Better Built NW. The previous Heating System Sizing Worksheet may be useful only if you do not have cooling. This calculator assumes that your glazing products have an area weighted average of U-0.30. Choose insulation levels and enter the areas of each building component. Hover your cursor over the red triangles to see the embedded help notes. An instruction sheet is also provided.

Total UA Alternative Worksheet (found in WSU's Code Compliance Calculator - Set code compliance pathway to "Total UA Alternative" ): The Total UA Alternative worksheet has been updated to provide the user with error prompts when information is incorrect or missing.

Alterations: Requirements for alterations or remodels of existing structures differ from the requirements for new construction. No credits from Table 406.2 are required and existing buildings are not necessarily required to meet all of the requirements of the energy code. This worksheet will show what is required for your remodel and may be filled out using Excel or by hand.

Commercial Buildings

Includes multifamily buildings that are 4 stories and taller, plus all non-residential buildings.

• 2018 Building Envelope Form
• 2015 Building Envelope Form
• If you are using the Component Performance option in C402.1.3, you must submit the ENV-UA and ENV-SHGC forms. Otherwise, you do not have to submit these forms, but we highly recommend that you review them.
  
  • ReadMe (Instructions for electronic forms)
  • PROJ-SUM (Project Summary) 
  • ENV-SUM (Envelope Summary) - broad overview of building envelope information needed on drawings
  • ENV-REQUIREMENTS (Envelope Requirements Summary)
  • ENV-PRESCRIPTIVE (Prescriptive path)
  • ENV-UA (Envelope UxA Calcs) - for Component Performance Path
  • Target Area Adjustments (Target area adjustment calculations for vertical fenestration and skylights)
  • ENV-SHGC (Envelope SHGCxA Calcs) - for Target SHGC compliance
  • ENV-CHK (Building Permit Plans Checklist)
• 2018 Commissioning Compliance Checklist
• 2015 Commissioning Compliance Checklist 
• C407 Energy Modeling Compliance Form 
  To activate Seattle-specific compliance, go to the "Code/Above-code program" line near the top of the "General Information" tab, and select "Seattle" code from pulldown menu. 
• 2018 Lighting Forms
• 2015 Lighting Forms
• You must submit the interior and exterior lighting summary forms; we highly recommend that you review the other forms. If you are not required to submit plans, you must complete the summary forms to be reviewed by the electrical inspector in the field.
  
  • ReadMe (Instructions for electronic forms)
  • LTG-SUM (Interior Lighting Summary Form) - required for all building permit applications and for all electrical permit applications with interior lighting
  • LTG-INT-SPACE (Interior lighting summary – “space-by-space” method)
  • LTG-INT-DISPLAY (Interior display lighting – “space-by-space” method)
  • LTG-INT-BLD (Interior lighting summary – “building area” method
  • LTG-EXT (Exterior Lighting Summary Form) - required for all building permit applications and for all electrical permit applications with exterior lighting
  • LTG-CHK (Lighting Permit Plans Checklist) - detailed list of what information needs to be on the plans.