Washington state officials have removed a mandate that would have banned natural gas heat pumps in new residential construction, but rules restricting the fuel’s use for other appliances are slated to go into effect next year.

After delaying rules that would have required electric heat pumps to be used in new residential and commercial buildings earlier this year, the Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) has removed the heat pump mandate in rules that are set to go into effect mid-March. 

SBCC said it is still in the rulemaking process to modify sections in the building energy codes “to address legal uncertainty” in a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which in April tossed an ordinance enacted in Berkeley, CA, that had banned new natural gas hookups.

Northwest...