Measure
The County will require existing commercial/nonresidential buildings to increase energy
efficiency and electrify existing water and space heating equipment that currently use natural gas. The
County will develop a program aimed at assisting local utilities with implementing commercial energy
efficiency and electrification programs to achieve reductions in energy consumption. The building permit
requirements for electrification of water and space heating equipment will be applicable based on the
below timelines:
building permit applications filed on or after January 1, 2023, or 6 months after the availability of a
cost-effectiveness study prepared by the California Statewide Codes and Standards Reach Codes Team
(Statewide Reach Codes Team), whichever is later, for buildings that are three stories or less;
building permit applications filed on or after January 1, 2026, or 6 months after the availability of a
cost-effectiveness study prepared by the Statewide Reach Codes Team, whichever is later, for buildings
that are four stories or more; and
limited exemptions for specific uses, available only for building permits filed on or before December 31,
2025, provided that the associated GHG emissions are offset through an accredited local carbon offset
program:
a limited exemption for manufacturing process loads within a manufacturing or industrial facility and
a limited exemption for essential medical facilities, such as hospitals that may require natural gas
If the technology to install all-electric water and/or space heating equipment for manufacturing or
industrial facilities or essential medical facilities is not feasible and available by July 1, 2025, the Board of
Supervisors may consider extending the limited exemption until the technology is feasible and available.
