OLYMPIA – Bellingham state Rep. Alex Ramel, a legislative leader on both affordable housing and energy-smart building practices, has been appointed to serve on the Washington State Building Codes Council. Ramel (D-40^th), whose term on the Council begins immediately, was asked to take on the new assignment by Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins.

The Building Codes Council, according to its website, “is a state agency created by the Legislature to provide independent analysis and objective advice to the Legislature and the governor’s office on state building code issues.  The Council establishes the minimum building, mechanical, fire, plumbing and energy code requirements necessary to promote the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state of Washington, by reviewing, developing and adopting the state building code.”

“I’m honored by this chance to work with some of the state’s top authorities on how our building codes should be structured,” Ramel said. “These are architects, engineers, tradespeople, developers, local and state government officials and, importantly, members of the public, who share my interest in creating safe, affordable, accessible, enduring and energy-efficient buildings where Washingtonians can live, work, shop, and recreate for generations to come. I look forward to this new chapter in my public service.”

A former president of the Kulshan Community Land Trust, Ramel also led development of the Community Energy Challenge to support retrofitting residential and commercial buildings in Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan counties. Since joining the House of Representatives in 2020, he has sponsored legislation on affordable housing, clean buildings, and greenhouse gas reduction, among other issues.

# # #