Data Source: California Energy Commission, 2022 Building Decarbonization Coalition
Analysis by CEC Economics
Highlights
- The 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Energy Code Title 24, Part 6) reorganized low-rise and high-rise multifamily buildings into one building type.114 After becoming the first U.S. state to commit to ending the sale of new fossil fuel appliances by 2030, in September 2024, the California Energy Commission adopted the 2025 updates to California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Energy Code), which will promote heat pumps in new homes and commercial buildings.115
- On top of the state energy code, many cities and counties had adopted local ordinances exceeding the current (2022) energy code. Several cities had adopted additional local ordinances in 2024 to further accelerate energy efficiency and electrification in buildings.116 Corte Madera, San Anselmo, San Luis Obispo, and San Rafael adopted new ordinances on efficiency improvements for single-family additions and alterations. Meanwhile, East Palo Alto, Encinitas, Palo Alto, San Jose, and Santa Cruz adopted ordinances on source energy compliance margins for residential and/or commercial buildings. Glendale, Menlo Park, Santa Clara, and Solana Beach adopted ordinances on solar PV in residential and/or commercial buildings.
114 The 2022 Energy Code encourages efficient electric heat pumps, establishes electric-ready requirements for new homes, expands solar photovoltaic and battery storage standards, strengthens ventilation standards, and more. Buildings whose permit applications are applied for on or after January 1, 2023, must comply with the 2022 Energy Code. Adopted on August 11, 2021. Accessed June 22, 2023. Available at: https://www.energy.ca.gov/
115 California Energy Commission. Energy Commission Adopts Updated Building Standards Expanding Requirements for Heat Pumps and Electric-Ready Buildings. Adopted on September 11, 2024. Accessed November 25, 2024. Available at: https://www.energy.ca.gov/
116 California Energy Commission. Local Ordinances Exceeding the 2022 Energy Code. Accessed November 25, 2024. Available at: https://www.energy.ca.gov/
Challenge
- Local jurisdictions are not on pace on energy storage adoption compared to their utility scale counterparts, where California is leading the charge in deploying utility-scale standalone and hybrid battery storage projects. Only one jurisdiction (Los Gatos) has adopted an ordinance requiring new buildings to be prewired for battery storage in 2020. Although the California Fire Code has been updated recently to significantly increase the maximum of aggregate energy storage systems for residential buildings, no jurisdictions have upped the ante.117
117 See California Fire Code Chapter 12, Section 1207.11.4.. Accessed November 25, 2024. Available at: https://up.codes/viewer/
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