California makes changes to building energy efficiency standards

The California Energy Commission is making rule changes for the Building Energy Efficiency Standards.

June 4, 2012

The California Energy Commission is opening a public process and rulemaking proceeding to adopt changes to the Building Energy Efficiency Standards contained in the California Code of Regulations (CCR). The California Energy Commission staff will conduct workshops to present potential revisions to the Standards and obtain public suggestions and comment. 

Changes and updates the Commission plans to make include:

  • The 2003 Energy Action Plan, which established California’s "loading order" policy;
  • The 2009 Integrated Energy Policy Report, which emphasizes the role of building energy efficiency in meeting climate change standards in California; 
  • And the 2007 Integrated Energy Policy Report, which established that new buildings achieve net zero energy by 2020 for residential homes and 2030 for commercial buildings.

The proposed amended standards will be adopted in 2014.

Learn more about other proposed changes and how you can participate in the public discussion here.