Reach Code Workshop
All-Electric Buildings & EV Charging
Cotati City Council
Community Development
Department
April 25, 2023
Workshop Goals
Clarify provisions of 2022 Building
Code—Building Electrification,
Solar PVs, EV Charging
Review reach code options and
other jurisdiction’s examples
Provide direction to staff on
potential reach code amendment
Reach Codes Program Support
Subprogram of California Energy Codes and Standards
Program
Works with local jurisdiction staff to help cities and counties leverage their unique authority to adopt
ordinances that require increased efficiency and
performance beyond the state’s minimum requirements
Funded by CA utility customers and implemented by
PG&E, SDG&E, and SCE
Responds to CA’s policy goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions
www.localenergycodes.com
Background
CA Building Code Update 2022 (Triennial, 2023-2025)
Mandatory Measures and Voluntary Tiers 1 and 2
“Reach Code”—locally-adopted measures that go above
and beyond State mandatory
Tiers 1 and 2 are reach codes—Cotati adopted Tier 1 for EV Charging
Jurisdictions can also adopt custom reach codes
Reach codes can be a tool for greenhouse gas reduction and addressing climate goals
“All-electric” (building electrification) reach codes—65 jurisdictions in CA (no gas to building/no gas appliances) EV charging reach codes—44 jurisdictions
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling—April 17
CA Restaurant Association v. City of
Berkeley
Ruling: Berkeley’s all-electric reach
code is preempted by federal law
regarding energy use of appliances
Legal review of implications on other
all-electric reach codes pending
May not impact reach code
amendments to the Building Code or
EV charging-related
Cotati’s 2022 Adopted Building Code
Building Electrification—Residential (Mandatory)
Electric heat pump space heating required for all new residential buildings (except where incremental energy
use of gas heating can be offset with other measures)
Electric heat pump hot water required in new single
family homes
Gas water heating allowed in MF, but centralized systems must incorporate solar thermal to cover 20% of the
demand
Newly constructed residential buildings must be 100%
“electric ready”
Must include infrastructure for future electric appliances, but can also be plumbed for gas and include gas appliances Cotati’s 2022 Adopted Building Code
Solar Photovoltaics (PVs) (Mandatory)
All newly constructed residential of 3 stories or less must have a PV system installed and be storage “battery-ready”
System size based on conditioned areas of home, # of dwelling units Cotati: Minimum system size--1.2W/sqft single family (2.5kW for a 2,000 sqft home) and 1.08W/sqft multifamily
All newly constructed high rise (4+ stories)
multifamily and some commercial must
have solar PV system & battery storage
system
1.8 to 3.1W/sqft of conditioned space, by
occupancy type
Battery storage sized in proportion to PV
system
EV Charging Glossary
Receptacle: Outlet to charge an EV via portable
charging equipment or power a permanently
installed charger
Charger/EV Supply Equipment (EVSE):
Permanently installed device that plugs directly
into an EV
Level 1: Lowest level of charging (12+ hours to
full charge); Provides 120-volt, 20-amp power
Level 2: Mid- to higher-level charging, 208/240-
volt, 20-amp or 40-amp power; Can provide ~80%
charge in 3 hours at higher level.
EV Charging Glossary
A parking space can be:
Level 2 EV Capable: Can support future Level 2 charging— receptacle or charger/EVSE
Level 1 EV Ready: Provides a standard electric receptacle Low Power Level 2 Receptacle: Provides receptacle for use by a portable charger
Level 2 EV Ready: Dedicated receptacle that can be used by portable charging equipment or a permanently installed on-site charger
Charger/EVSE: Level 2 or DC Fast Charger (80% in 20
minutes, requires minimum 400V, 100-amps)
Cotati’s 2022 Adopted Building Code
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging—Tier 1 Voluntary (Reach) One space in new single family/duplex—Level 2 EV Ready All new MF and hotel—35% of spaces EV Ready with Low
Power Level 2 EV Charging Receptacles
New MF and hotel with 20+ units/rooms—additional 10%
with Level 2 EVSE
Existing MF—10% added/altered parking spaces—
Level 2 EV Capable (also when electrical systems
or lighting altered)
New non-residential—20% Level 2 EV Capable
(Min. 2 spaces) and 10% Level 2 EVSE
California Intervening Cycle Code Update
Takes effect July 1, 2024
Multifamily and Hotel/Motels primarily impacted
Local Reach Code Examples—All-Electric
Residential, new construction
only
County of Sonoma—Single family
homes only
Exceptions: cooking appliances,
generators
Santa Rosa—Single family, duplex,
and low-rise MF (up to 3 stories)
Sole all-electric reach code ordinance
in Sonoma County to withstand legal
challenge to date (2019 ordinance)
Local Reach Codes—All-Electric
All new residential and non-residential and significant alterations/additions to existing buildings
Healdsburg—Residential exception: cooking appliances and directvent sealed-combustion fireplaces Petaluma
Marin County
Common to most local codes
Apply to entire property (not just buildings)
Apply to detached ADUs
Non-residential exceptions: Restaurants/commercial food; certain industrial/manufacturing; essential services; emergency power backups/generators; infeasibility per Building Official Require exceptions to be made electric-ready
EV Charging Reach Code Examples
44 jurisdictions statewide have adopted
reach codes on EV charging
41 have single-family requirements:
19 adopted Tier 1 standards—1st space
Level 2 EV Ready (Cotati)
22 have custom codes that include Tier 1,
plus 2nd space requirement for Level 1 Capable
or Ready
EV Charging Reach Code Examples
42 jurisdictions’ codes have additional
multifamily requirements, primarily custom (not
Tier 1 or 2)
28 mandate that 100% of spaces be
Capable/Ready/chargers
11 mandate that 50%+ of spaces be
Capable/Ready/chargers
Tier 1 MF requirement recap:
35% of spaces Low Power Level 2 Receptacles
20+ units: Add 10% Level 2 chargers (Total of
45% of spaces impacted)
EV Charging Reach Code Examples
Occupancy
Less than
50% of
spaces
>50 but
<100%
of spaces
100% of
spaces or
1/unit
Total None
Hotels/Motels 11 19 2 32 12
Offices 20 19 39 5
Other Non- residential 32 5 1 38 6
Office, Hotels/Motels, Other Non-Residential
Mostly custom reach codes
Require some combination of Capable/Ready/chargers,
applied to % of spaces as shown below:
Reach Code Adoption Process
Workshop--Council direction to staff
Clarify legal options to proceed with reach code
Staff prepare reach code ordinance
City Council first and second readings, 30 days to
take effect
File with CA Building Standards Commission
Opportunity to amend with Intervening Cycle
Update (7/1/24) and with triennial update (1/1/26)
Thereafter, make amendments as needed and
re-adopt reach code with triennial code updates
Reach Code Options for Cotati—All-Electric
1. Apply all-electric requirement to all newly constructed buildings
a. Residential and non-residential
b. Detached ADUs included
2. Apply to substantial remodels/additions—residential and non-residential existing buildings
a. Substantial Remodel: Alteration of 50%+ of existing floor area (if existing is 1,200+ sqft)
i. Remodeled area must be all-electric OR
ii. Remodeled area must be electric-ready
b. Substantial Addition: Addition of 50%+ of existing floor area (if addition is 600+ sqft)
i. Added area must be all-electric (i.e., no extension of gas plumbing to addition)
Reach Code Options for Cotati—All-Electric
3. Apply all-electric to entire property (not
just buildings)
4. Prohibit extension of gas plumbing to a
new building (detached ADU, workshop,
etc) on a property with existing mixedfuel buildings
5. Prohibit plumbed propane (portable
outdoor propane devices ok)
6. Allow certain exceptions to all-electric,
and require that excepted buildings be
built electric ready
Inspired ADUs
Reach Code Options for Cotati—All-Electric
6. Potential exceptions to all-electric requirement:
a. Residential buildings:
i. Attached ADUs (in existing mixed-fuel residences)
ii. Other exceptions on case-by-case basis, per Building Official
iii. Require excepted buildings be made electric ready
b. Non-Residential Buildings:
i. Restaurants, commercial cooking, food preparation;
some industrial and manufacturing processes; essential
facilities (public safety, medical); emergency/backup
generators
ii. Other exceptions on case-by-case basis, per Building Official
iii. Require excepted buildings be made electric ready
Reach Code Options for Cotati—EV Charging
1. Maintain single-family/duplex requirements at
Tier 1 level
2. Adopt proposed Intervening Cycle Code Update at
Mandatory level to take effect in 2023
a. 55% of MF and hotel spaces to have access to EV
charging
b. Extend charging requirements to certain nonresidential additions and alterations c. Extend requirements for off-street medium and heavy
duty charging to offices, manufacturing projects
3. Consider additional EV charging measures for next
Building Code cycle (takes effect Jan 1, 2026)
Reach Code Options for Cotati
Photovoltaics:
A reach code related to PVs is not
recommended at this time
Most buildings occupancy types currently
required to have some amount of PVs
2022 Code extends PV and battery storage
requirements to high-rise MF and nonresidential, and developers are still learning how to implement this with roof space
limitations and multiple electric accounts
Expansion of SF requirements yields
relatively small emissions reductions
compared to the costs
Recommendation
The Community Development Department
recommends that the City Council conduct a
workshop and provide direction to staff on
potential all-electric building and electric vehicle
charging reach code amendments to the City’s
Building Code.