Blueprint Newsletter: Winter 2026

Blueprint quarterly newsletter focuses on Energy Code updates, announcements, and frequently asked questions. Blueprint newsletter serves as a resource to assist stakeholders in complying with the Energy Code. It does not provide legal advice. Please refer to the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Parts 1 and 6 for specific requirements.

ENERGY STAR Exemption for Single-Family Heat Pumps

The federal ENERGY STAR program limits the cooling capacity of heat pump space conditioners in single-family homes to no more than 115 percent of the calculated cooling load, as determined per ACCA Manual S, Second Edition. If the heating load significantly exceeds the cooling load, supplemental heating (via electric resistance or gas furnace backup) may provide the required additional heating capacity. 

However, Section 150.0(h)5Biiia - PDF of the 2025 California Energy Code requires heat pumps newly installed in single-family buildings to meet minimum heating requirements of the CBC, not including any supplementary heating. Interested parties have raised concerns about meeting requirements for both the federal ENERGY STAR program - PDF and the 2025 California Energy Code.

To resolve this conflict, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has exempted heat pumps installed in single-family homes built to the 2025 California Energy Code from ENERGY STAR cooling sizing limits until the program sizing limits are reevaluated. Specifically:

  • Designers will be exempted from Item 4.10 of the National HVAC Design Supplement to Standard 310, and Item 4.16 of the National HVAC Design Report for heat pumps
  • Raters will be exempted from Items 3a.3 and 3b.2.8 of the National Rater Design Review Checklist for heat pumps

Announcements

2025 Restructured Energy Code

In response to feedback from interested parties, the CEC has published the Restructured 2025 Energy Code. This informational resource reorganizes the adopted regulatory language to group related requirements together and renumbers sections for easier navigation. Minor editorial changes were made to support the new format, but these changes do not affect any regulatory requirements.

Please note: this restructured version is not an official regulatory document and has not been formally adopted. It is provided solely as a public resource to support the transition to this new structure in future Energy Code editions. For compliance and enforcement, always refer to the formally adopted code. Members of the public may submit comments to Docket #24-BSTD-05 regarding this matter until May 26, 2026. 

2025 Energy Code: Compliance Software Updates

Newly approved 2025 Energy Code compliance software is available on the 2025 Energy Code compliance software webpage for single-family, multifamily, and nonresidential buildings:

  • CBECC 2025.2.0
  • EnergyPro 10.0
  • Right-Energy Title 24 Version 2025.2.0 (single-family new-construction only)
  • Integrated Environmental Solutions Virtual Environment  Title 24 2025 Version 1.0

All permit applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026, will need to comply using software and forms approved for the 2025 Energy Code.

CBECC and CBECC-Res 2025.1.0 expired on January 6, 2026. Please visit the 2025 compliance software webpage for the latest approved software.

Updated Unitary AC and HP Modeling in CBECC

CBECC and approved third-party residential compliance software use a new method for modeling single and variable-speed unitary air conditioners (ACs) and heat pumps (HPs). This 2025 Energy Code update introduces physics-based modeling for variable-capacity heat pumps (VCHPs), improving accuracy and replacing the previous VCHP compliance option credit, which is no longer available.

For more information including detailed guidance, tips, and frequently asked questions, please visit the  CBECC FAQ webpage - GitHub. 

2025 Energy Code: Compliance Documents

Certificate of compliance documents (forms) that can be used to demonstrate performance compliance with the 2025 Energy Code are available through the approved software programs. Document registration with an approved residential data registry is required by the 2025 Energy Code Section 10-103(a) for newly constructed buildings and additions or alterations to existing buildings. Many forms are also available through Energy Code Ace’s Virtual Compliance Assistant. Energy Code Ace’s Forms Ace free online tool is recommended for determining which forms apply to a particular project.

Single-Family Residential Compliance Documents

Fillable prescriptive CF1R and CF2R forms for additions and alterations to existing buildings that do not require ECC (Energy Code Compliance) verification are available on the 2025 Energy Code webpage.

All CF1R, CF2R, and CF3R forms for projects requiring ECC verification must be completed through, and registered on, an approved ECC Provider registry. CF3R forms must be completed by a certified ECC Rater.

Registration of the 2025 Energy Code compliance documents is now available, through approved data registries.

Low-Rise Multifamily Compliance Documents

Fillable prescriptive LMCC and LMCI forms for low-rise multifamily buildings that do not require ECC verification are available on the 2025 Energy Code webpage.

Similar to single-family projects, all forms for all projects requiring ECC verification must be completed through, and registered on, an approved ECC Provider registry. LMCV forms must be completed by a certified ECC Rater. 

NOTE: As of publication, there are no approved ECC Provider registries for 2022 or 2025 prescriptive LMCC forms for new construction, and additions and alterations to existing buildings, nor the associated LMCI forms for prescriptive new construction mechanical systems. Similar to under the 2022 Energy Code, until such a registry is approved, code enforcement agencies are encouraged to collect the appropriate documentation and ensure that any required field verification and diagnostic testing was performed. An enforcement advisory will be released later this year.

Nonresidential, Hotel/Motel, and High-Rise Multifamily Compliance Documents

Fillable prescriptive NRCC, NRCI, and NRCA forms are available through the 2025 Energy Code webpage. Fillable NRCA forms ending in -F must be completed by a field technician. NRCA forms ending in -A must be completed by a Certified Acceptance Test Technician (ATT) through an approved certification provider’s website, and recorded on their database.

NRCV forms must be completed by a certified ECC Rater through, and registered on, an approved ECC Provider registry.

For more info, visit the ECC webpage and the ATTCP webpage. 

2025 Energy Code: Energy Code Compliance Provider

The CEC has approved CHEERS as an Energy Code Compliance (ECC; formerly HERS) Provider for the 2025 Energy Code. The purpose of the ECC program is to inspect, test, and rate the installation of energy efficiency measures in residential buildings. ECC Providers are approved based upon several factors, including their ability to:

  • Train and certify ECC raters.
  • Create and maintain a registry and database.
  • Provide ongoing access to their registry and database for CEC staff.
  • Create a quality assurance program and conduct quality assurance inspections on their raters’ work.
  • Report annually to the CEC.

For more information, please visit the ECC program and (for projects complying with the 2025 Energy Code and later) Home Energy Rating System (HERS) program (for projects under the 2022 Energy Code and earlier) webpages.

2025 Energy Code: Acceptance Test Technician Certification Providers (ATTCPs)

The CEC has approved the 2025 Energy Code application updates of the following ATTCPs  to train and certify or recertify acceptance test technicians (ATT) and their employers:

  • Lighting controls
    • California Advanced Lighting Controls Training Program (CALCTP)
    • National Lighting Contractors Association of America (NLCAA)
  • Mechanical systems
    • California State Pipe Trades Council (CSPTC)
    • National Environmental Management Institution Committee (NEMIC)
    • Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES)

Acceptance testing for nonresidential projects with permit applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026, must be completed by an ATT certified by an appropriate ATTCP. 

NOTE: RSES and CSPTC are currently conditionally approved. The CEC will release an announcement of full approval when appropriate. For more information, please contact Standards Compliance Branch.

2028 Energy Code: School Prototypes

Newly proposed prototypes developed to be more representative of current school construction practices and described in the August 2025 Energy Accounting Workshop, are now available at the 2028 Energy Code Energy Accounting Metrics webpage. Other documents of interest, including presentation slides and comments from that workshop, are available on Docket #25-BSTD-03.

State Fire Marshall Information Bulletin 26-003

On February 10, 2026, the Office of the State Fire Marshal released Information Bulletin 26-003 - PDF informing local jurisdictions and building owners about the approved Addendum A to ASHRAE Standard 15-2024. 

Energy Code Support Center Updates

Please visit the Energy Code Support Center webpage for resources, including fact sheets, FAQs, guides, presentations, training classes, videos, and links to additional resources. New resources include:

Outreach & Education 2025 Year in Review

  • Published 21 new resources on the Energy Code Support Center
  • Delivered 24 training presentations
  • Engaged in 16 in-person events
  • Reached over 10,550 attendees
  • Responded to nearly 3,500 Hotline inquiries, including over 700 submission form inquiries, over 1,000 calls, and over 1,300 emails
  • Most Popular Hotline Topics: Solar PV, HVAC, Forms, HERS, and Indoor Lighting

CEC staff is available upon request to provide training to AHJs on the 2025 Energy Code. Submit requests through the Energy Code Hotline Submission Form.

Q&As

  • Do mixed-use buildings require solar PV under the 2022 Energy Code?

    • Possibly. Section 140.10(a) of the 2022 Energy Code requires newly constructed nonresidential or mixed-use buildings to install solar PV if 80 percent or more of the total floor area encompasses building types listed in Table 140.10-A, including:
      • Grocery
      • High-Rise Multifamily
      • Office, Financial Institutions, Unleased Tenant Space
      • Retail
      • School
      • Warehouse
      • Auditorium, Convention Center, Hotel/Motel, Library, Medical Office Building/Clinic, Restaurant, Theater
    • This requirement applies even if the building contains multiple nonresidential building types. For example, if a 100,000 square foot museum building includes 80,000 square feet or more consisting of Office, Retail, Auditorium, Restaurant, and/or Theatre building types, the PV requirement is triggered, even though museums are not specifically listed. Note that some building types have been added for the 2025 Energy Code. However, not all mixed-use buildings will trigger the requirement if they fall short of the qualifying proportion of floor area, and others may be exempt under an Exception to Section 140.10(a) - PDF.
    • In mixed-use buildings, the required PV system size is calculated for each applicable building type (including conditioned support areas like corridors and restrooms associated with that building type) and then summed for the entire building.

  • Do low-rise multifamily buildings with dwellings without permanent cooking and sanitation provisions require solar PV under the 2022 Energy Code?

    • No. Section 100.1 - PDF defines dwelling units as single units providing complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including access, permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation. Dwellings without permanent provisions for cooking or sanitation, such as those found in dormitories and some senior care facilities, do not meet this definition and therefore need not meet the PV requirements under Section 170.2(f) - PDF.
    • When using Equation 170.2-C - PDF, only dwellings that meet the definition in Section 100.1 are included. The number and conditioned floor area (CFA) of these dwelling units are included in calculating the minimum required kWdc, while the CFA of common areas are excluded from the calculation.

  • Do projects in jurisdictions containing more than one Climate Zone need to follow the online Climate Zone search tool map?

 

  • Do all bathrooms in school buildings subject to Section 140.5(a)1 require heat pump water heaters, under the 2022 Energy Code?

    • No. While Section 140.5(a)1 - PDFof the 2022 Energy Code generally requires heat pump water heaters for certain school buildings, there is a notable exception for individual bathroom spaces.
    • The Exception to Section 140.5(a)1 permits the use of electric tankless water heaters when the water heating system serves only that specific restroom and is not shared with other spaces or occupancies in the building. This exception applies to both newly constructed school buildings and additions to existing buildings that are subject to Section 140.5(a)1.
    • Importantly, this exception is not limited to bathrooms designed for a single occupant. It applies to any bathroom space that has its own dedicated water heating system, regardless of the number of occupants that can be served by the bathroom at the same time.

Contact

Energy Code Hotline Submission Form
Toll-free in California: 800-772-3300
Outside California: 916-654-5106

For More Information

Energy Code Support Center
Home Energy Rating System (HERS)
Acceptance Test Technician Certification Provider Program (ATTCP)
2022 Approved Compliance Software