Buildings and their construction together account for 35 percent of global energy use and 38 percent of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions annually, according to the United Nations Environment Program. In the United States, residential and commercial buildings accounted for 40 percent of energy consumption in 2020, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In California, the most populous of the United States, the California Air Resources Board identifies the building sector as the second largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the state, surpassed only by transportation.
The Building sector offers great potential to reduce GHG emissions. Recognizing the GHG emissions associated with buildings, building efficiency standards and standardized building codes have been developed to reduce energy use and associated emissions. Locally mandated “stretch” or “reach” codes require even greater levels of energy efficiency than the state building code. Other local building codes place limits on the embodied energy of building materials. Together, these local codes reduce both energy use and GHG emissions from the design, construction and operation of buildings.
A number of states, including California, Oregon, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Vermont, and Rhode Island allow local stretch or reach codes to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and reduce building related GHG emissions.
Description: In 2013, Lancaster, CA became the first city in the U.S. to require housing developers to install solar photovoltaics (PV) with every new home they build. This was accomplished …
California reach code (initially a zoning code) for solar PV Read More »
Description: Chula Vista reduced the maximum outdoor lighting power allowances (LPA) from the maximum allowed wattages in the 2016 Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards for nonresidential building occupancies by 32-81 …
California reach code for efficient outdoor lighting Read More »
Description: Marin County requires increased building energy efficiency for all new single- and two-family homes and new multifamily low- and high-rise residential buildings. The ordinance identifies options including increased energy …
California reach codes for improved building energy efficiency Read More »
Description: The California Energy Commission (CEC) has established a process which allows local adoption of energy efficiency standards that are more stringent than the statewide requirements. These more stringent standards, …
Description: The Community Choice Aggregation programs (CCAs) of Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE), Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) and the San Mateo County Office of Sustainability (OOS) are joining together to …
Description: In San Francisco, CA, 44% of citywide emissions come from buildings (2.2 million metric tonnes CO2e in 2017), and half of those emissions come from the commercial sector. Within …
Description: San Francisco, CA passed legislation in October 2019 requiring roughly 300 existing large public parking structures and lots to provide electric vehicle (EV) charging. Parking lots with more than …
Description: Of all building materials, Portland cement – one of the primary components of concrete – has a particularly intense impact on the climate. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from cement …
Description: The Housing Element of the El Cerrito, CA General Plan seeks to conserve and improve El Cerrito’s existing housing supply, encourage the development of housing at all income levels …
Use land use plans to increase building energy efficiency Read More »
