Implementation
Develop and adopt an energy reach code no later than December 2022, or 6 months after the availability of a cost-effectiveness study prepared by the Statewide Reach Codes Team, whichever is later, requiring all new single-family and low-rise and mid-rise multi-family residential buildings obtaining building permits, to be designed as all-electric buildings. Development of the energy reach code will include cost-effectiveness studies and feasibility analyses that should include at a minimum consideration of supply chain availability of parts, prices of component parts, and previously approved projects for which natural gas lines may already be constructed. Detailed feasibility criteria will be developed during development of the energy reach code. In addition, the County will periodically re-assess and update reach codes in response to updates to the building code.
Examples of draft criteria for when residential buildings will not be subject to the all-electric requirement are described below:
- Projects in progress
- New subdivisions or planned unit development that has existing natural gas infrastructure that is already substantially built on the date of adoption of the reach code.
- Architectural master plans for the subdivision that have been submitted to the County for design review prior to the date of adoption of the reach code.
- Cost feasibility: Where a project applicant can reasonably demonstrate that the cost of providing an all-electric home would add 50 percent to the cost of the like-sized component parts above the costs of installing natural gas appliances, including available incentives and the cost of natural gas infrastructure.
- Supply chain feasibility: Where a project applicant can reasonably demonstrate that all-electric parts required for home sale cannot be acquired from a manufacturer within 120 days.
- Affordable housing: A limited exemption for regulated affordable housing when virtual net energy metering is not available, for water heating only.
In addition, new development projects that have incorporated all feasible on-site GHG mitigation may be permitted to contribute financially toward the electrification programs for existing buildings in Measures GHG-04 and GHG-06 subject to quantification of the costs per MT CO2e.
Timeframe: Midterm
GHG Reduction Potential: 48,587 MT CO2e per year by 2030
Sector: Energy – Residential
Target Indicator: Adoption of a reach code no later than December 2022, or 6 months after the availability of a cost-effectiveness study prepared by the Statewide Reach Codes Team, whichever is later. Target set for having 23,000 dwelling units all-electric by 2030.
Status of Implementation
Measures GHG-4 through -7 deal with the electrification of buildings in the community and are categorized by residential vs. non-residential and existing vs. new construction.
Due to legal precedent established by the California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley, where the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit blocked the City of Berkeley from enacting a natural gas piping ban, the County is not pursuing electrification ordinances and instead is planning to develop reach code energy efficiency ordinances. These reach codes will not specifically ban gas and instead will require the maximum level of building energy efficiency that is still cost effective.
Through the Sacramento County Building Electrification Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the County is working with the cities of Sacramento and Elk Grove as well as SMUD to coordinate the reach code effort with the goal to have adoption concurrent with the State 2025 triennial code cycle to be effective January 1, 2026.
Currently, the partners are focused on applying for a Department of Energy grant to support this coordinated effort and meet every two weeks to support making a full application later this summer.
Updated 9/10/2024.
