CLIMATE ACTION SUBCOMMITTEE
UPCOMING CODE ADOPTIONS
ALL -ELECTRIC ONLY
READOPTION
October 12, 2022
1 Jesse Oswald
Chief Building Official,
Planning & Economic
Development
ALL -ELECTRIC ONLY
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• ALL-ELECTRIC BUILDING. A building that contains no combustion equipment or plumbing for combustion equipment serving space heating (including fireplaces), water heating (including pools and spas), cooking appliances (including barbeques), and clothes drying, within the building or building property lines, and instead uses electric heating appliances for service.
2 ALL -ELECTRIC ONLY
BACKGROUND
• In 2019 the City Council adopted the All-Electric Only Ordinance. • The requirement applies to all new Low-Rise Residential construction (3-stories or less).
• Council chose to adopt a stand-alone ordinance based in the California Energy Code.
• The adoption required the execution of a cost-effectiveness study. • The California Energy Commission has determined that reach code adoptions for decarbonization do not require a cost-effectiveness study for 2022 codes provided the adoption resides within the California Green Building Standards Code.
• For 2023; it is proposed to adopt the All-Electric Only requirement for new Low-Rise Residential construction by amending the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code.
3 RELATIONSHIP TO
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
4 BENEFIT
5 ALL -ELECTRIC ONLY REQUIREMENT – LESSONS
LEARNED/MOVING FORWARD
• The current All-Electric Only requirement proved to be effective with new housing starts without fuel-gas connections. Approximately 1,000 new units have been permitted (built, in construction or applied-for) without a gas connection. • The current adoption exempts attached Accessory Dwelling Units. This is a realistic approach as ADUs are typically developed on parcels with existing dwellings connected to natural gas.
• The proposed amendments maintain the attached ADU exemption with clarifications:
ADUs created by altering existing legal space in dwellings, garages, and accessory structures.
This clarification follows existing State Law initiatives for the development of ADUs. • Additional exemptions are proposed:
1. Reconstructed buildings lost in a disaster or calamity.
2. New construction where existing utility infrastructure would have to be removed at the owner’s expense.
6 REQUESTED FEEDBACK
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Reconstructed buildings lost in a disaster or calamity.
2. New construction where existing utility infrastructure would have to be removed at the owner’s expense.
3. Parcels or development projects that have approved public improvement plans.
DISCUSSION & QUESTIONS
Jesse Oswald, Chief Building Official
Planning and Economic Development
(707) 543-3249 [email protected]
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