REACH
RIVERSIDE
New Building All-Electric Reach Code Ordinance
Local governments have the authority to establish standards that go beyond the minimum requirements in the California Green Building (CALGreen) code because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions. This proposed ordinance would go beyond or be a “reach code” , defined as a local building energy code that “reaches” beyond State minimum requirements for energy use in building design and construction.
The Ordinance would support the City’s Strategic Plan by reducing greenhouse carbon emissions and air pollution from fossil fuel combustion within buildings by requiring new buildings in Riverside to be constructed as all-electric.
An all-electric building means a building that does not have natural gas piping or propane plumbing installed on a lot or within the building and uses electricity as the sole source of energy for its space heating, water heating, cooking appliances and drying appliances.
The effective dates for the New Building Electrification Ordinance would be as follows:
● New buildings which are 1-3 stories: January 1, 2023
● New buildings which are 4-stories or more: January 1, 2026 Projects that have a building permit application submitted, deemed complete with paid plan check fees and submitted plans prior to the effective dates above will be exempt from the all electric requirement. Additionally, the proposed ordinance will provide for the following exemptions from the all-electric requirement.
● Cooking equipment exemption for commercial kitchens.
● Process load exemption for manufacturing/industrial facilities. ● Water heating exemption for regulated affordable housing due to state requirement.
These three exemptions account for commonly known scenarios where all-electric appliances is infeasible or incompatible with the building’s intended use. Because these three exemptions do not account for all scenarios where this may be the case, the proposed ordinance will provide for a waiver process that will allow for the building official to waive the all-electric requirement when there is verifiable proof that the type of building, physical site conditions, commercial availability of electric appliances, electrical infrastructure requirements or public safety conditions would make the project infeasible.
The Full Committee Report can be found at: Bit.ly/ReachRiverside