Author: Jenny Brent, Built Green Specialist
The Built Green team was hard at work last year meeting with numerous stakeholders to update the Single-Family/Townhome New Construction checklist (SF checklist) and the Multifamily New Construction checklist (MF checklist). Built Green is excited to share the result of these updates! The Summary of Changes will go over the major updates you can expect to see in the new 2024 Checklists.
Photo: Tucker English
Why are we updating our checklist?
Built Green checklist updates are primarily influenced by code changes, new products and/or technologies, and housing market trends. For example, with the recent release of the 2021 Washington State Energy Code (WSEC), Built Green needed to make necessary
updates to stay current. Read on to learn more about all the major updates on the 2024 checklists.
What are some of the changes you can expect to see in the 2024 checklist?
There are two checklist updates that will go into effect. The first is the 2024 Single-Family/Townhome New Construction Checklist and corresponding Handbook, used for projects seeking Built Green certification permitted under the 2021 WSEC. The second
checklist update is the 2024 Multifamily Checklist, also used for projects seeking Built Green certification permitted under the 2021 WSEC. Some of the notable changes you can expect to see are:
- Removed energy benchmark requirements in Section 1 for Star levels 3 and 4
- Reduced point minimum requirements in Section 1 for Energy Efficiency
- Updated Prescriptive pathway credits in Section 2
- Updated energy thresholds in Section 3 Energy Efficiency
- New Carbon Reduction credits (Section 7)
- Removal of outdated or code-required practices
When do the 2024 Checklists take effect?
The new checklists for both Single-Family and Multifamily coincide with the 2021 WSEC. All projects permitted under the 2021 WSEC will be required to use the 2024 checklists. Projects currently permitted under the 2018 WSEC will be required to use the
previous version of the new construction checklists. The 2024 SF and MF Checklists are now available for download, so verifiers and builders have time to look them over, understand the updates, and ask any lingering questions. Please keep in mind: the checklist version a project is required to use is determined by the WSEC it was permitted under, not the project enrollment date.
How did Built Green determine what to update?
The Built Green team consulted with numerous Washington state green building industry experts, policy makers, and community stakeholders to help us research key sections and give expert opinions. Multiple rounds of feedback provided us with the insight
we needed to create an even more robust set of checklists for our members.
Built Green collaborated with city and county representatives, Built Green verifiers, and energy modelers. These representatives gave us their expert opinions on how to smoothly incorporate new credit items and what changes needed to be made to current
credits. We are thankful for everyone who helped Built Green make informed updates, and for the builders and verifiers who will also be using these checklists to practice environmentally sound design, construction, and development in Washington’s
cities and communities.
What if you need clarification on a credit item?
The Built Green Handbooks are an excellent guide for each point on the checklist. The Handbooks are also updated to match the new 2024 checklists. Both Handbooks are available online, for free, as a PDF. Please discuss these updates with your Built Green
verifier, as it’s important to understand all the changes involved.
We understand updates to our checklists can be confusing and, at times, frustrating. Don’t worry! The Built Green team and Built Green verifiers are available if you have questions, so please don’t hesitate to reach out!