In January of 2023 the State of California adopted the latest updates to the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Energy Code) and the California Green Building Code (CALGreen). These codes are the backbone upon which the various jurisdictions (Building Departments) throughout California work to improve health, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, building material resource conservation, water conservation, and greenhouse gas reduction.
Each city and county within the state has Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals that must be met to comply with current state laws and regulations. When the local governments adopt their building codes, they are allowed to make upgrades and revisions to the State Building Codes to reflect local conditions.
When a jurisdiction wishes to amend the current California Energy Code they must hold studies, analysis and hearings to justify their amendments. Their justification needs to show that local conditions make the amendments needed and that the amendments are cost effective through return-on-investment calculations (ROI) over the anticipated life span of the building. Then they are required to submit their proposed amendments and their justification analysis and hearing results to the California Energy Commission for review and approval. These local amendments are referred to as Local Ordinances Exceeding the 2022 Energy Code (aka Reach Codes) and can be found at the CEC website URL of https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/building-energy-efficiency-standards/2022-building-energy-efficiency-0
Additionally local jurisdictions may amend the CALGreen Code to provide further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and generally improve the indoor environment of the homes being built in their jurisdiction. These amendments do not have to go through the same administrative approval process that the energy reach codes must go through. One of the most common amendments to the CALGreen Code is to adopt the Tier 1 and or Tier 2 voluntary upgrade Appendices in the code as mandatory requirements of the local green building code. Another common local amendment to the CALGreen Code is to require that the compliance of the plans and the construction work with the CALGreen Code be verified by approved CALGreen Plans Examiners and CALGreen Special Inspectors hired by the designer, builder or homeowner. Green Building Consulting and Special Inspections are some of the works that are provided by Rick’s Energy Solutions, Inc. If you would like to know more about CALGreen Special Inspections and Green Building Consulting and compliance please contact us at info@rc-networks.com or fill out our contact form here https://www.ricks-energy-solutions.com/contact/
The 2022 California Energy Code is sometimes very difficult to understand and even more difficult to comply with. When it is amended by a reach code it can become a great deal more difficult to understand and comply with. Rick’s Energy Solutions has staff members who are trained and experienced energy consultants and green building consultants. We will be happy to provide our Energy Consulting Services and our Green Building Consulting Services for your project. Please contact us at https://www.ricks-energy-solutions.com/contact/ to learn how we can assist you with the compliance requirements of both the California Energy Code and the California Green Building Code.