GHG-05: Decarbonize New Buildings
Measure Description
In Progress
To reduce emissions in new buildings and support more energy efficient homes and businesses, the County will adopt a reach code that includes specific performance standards for energy efficiency and GHG emissions that would be applicable to all new buildings deemed eligible for these requirements. The aim is to reduce reliance on natural gas and other fossil fuels. The County also will provide incentives to encourage developers to meet or exceed the reach code requirements and provide training opportunities to construction workers for the successful implementation of this measure.
The County notes that at the time of development of this CAP, the California 2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards are in development. As such, the County will monitor the standards included in the 2025 code to determine whether the adopted standards will, at minimum, achieve the GHG reduction and efficiency standards outlined by GHG-05.
Implementation Status
Updated 08/24/2026
The California Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6) consists of updated energy efficiency requirements for new construction. The Energy Code is updated every three years by the California Energy Commission. The 2025 Energy Code became effective January 1, 2026 for permit applications submitted on or after that date. This code includes key measures such as incentivizing heat pumps, requiring solar and battery storage for many buildings, establishing electric-ready requirements, and demand response flexibility. As the 2025 Code includes incentives to ensure many new homes will be constructed as all-electric and many new commercial buildings will be incentivized to adopt all-electric heating, there are no current plans under active consideration for the County to adopt a new construction reach code beyond the state Energy Code. The County will continue to monitor implementation of future California Energy Code updates, technological advancements, and local conditions to evaluate whether additional local actions may be appropriate. With each new state code cycle, the County anticipates reassessing whether a new construction reach code may be appropriate, necessary, or feasible to help meet CAP goals. Any future consideration of a local reach code would be subject to technical analysis, available resources, coordination with regional partners, public and stakeholder outreach, environmental review, and future direction from County decision-makers.
Additionally, the County has developed an efficient permitting process that helps to reduce the costs and processing time of all projects, including all-electric new construction projects.
Actions
Action GHG-05-a
Action Description: Work with the California Energy Codes and Standards Program to develop cost-effective reach codes that must be met by all new construction. The reach codes will include the following performance standards:
- Residential single-family: Projects must meet or exceed a modeled EDR1 (hourly source energy) metric of 11.5 points above the 2022 Title 24, Part 6 statewide performance minimum (the “standard design building”).
- Residential multifamily: Projects must meet or exceed a modeled Energy Source Margin of 11 percent above the 2022 Title 24, Part 6 statewide performance minimum.
- Nonresidential: Projects must reduce non-electricity-related GHG emissions by 85 percent below 2022 Title 24, Part 6 equivalent emissions for each nonresidential buildings type.
Action GHG-05-b
Action Description: Provide fee reductions or offsets and expedited permitting for residential and nonresidential projects that are built all-electric and do not include new natural gas infrastructure piping.
Action GHG-05-c
Action Description: Conduct stakeholder outreach with building industry members, contractors, residents, businesses, and other interest groups to present the reach code options and solicit feedback.
Action GHG-05-d
Action Description: Develop and adopt an ordinance(s) to implement new construction building reach code(s) based on the cost-effectiveness studies (completed as part of Action GHG-05-a) and stakeholder outreach (completed as part of Action GHG-05-c).
Action GHG-05-e
Action Description: Submit the ordinance(s) and cost-effectiveness studies for new construction building reach code(s) to the California Energy Commission for review and approval.
Action GHG-05-f
Action Description: Conduct training for County permitting staff to understand the reach code requirements for new buildings and how compliance will be demonstrated.
Action GHG-05-g
Action Description: Engage with the California Energy Codes and Standards Program to continually monitor and reassess legal and regulatory barriers requiring all-electric new construction and develop pathways for eliminating the expansion of natural gas infrastructure in the county as feasible.
Action GHG-05-h
Action Description: Develop a tracking system for the number of housing units and nonresidential square footage that is built to comply with the new reach code.
Action GHG-05-i
Action Description: Provide information regarding new reach code requirements and any incentives to contractors, potential owners, and building applicants by publishing information on the County website, developer/business group-focused communications, and at the permit counter. This should also include information on grant funding opportunities, such as the Building Initiative for Low-Emissions Development (BUILD) Program, and 179D tax credits.
Action GHG-05-j
Action Description: Develop a tracking system for the number of housing units and nonresidential square footage that is built to comply with the new reach code.
Objectives
Residential buildings to meet or exceed a modeled EDR1 (hourly source energy) metric of 11.5 points (single-family) or Energy Source Margin of 11 percent (multifamily) above the Title 24, Part 6 statewide performance minimum, including:
- 19,500 new residential units built by 2030, and
- 78,200 new residential units built by 2045.
Nonresidential buildings:
- Adopt and enforce a reach code such that new construction reduces non-electricity-related emissions by 85% below 2022 Title 24, Part 6 equivalent emissions for each nonresidential buildings type.