The 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Energy Code) has electric ready requirements for all newly constructed multifamily buildings when certain natural gas or propane appliances are installed.
These requirements do not apply to:
- Additions
- Alterations
- Buildings with all electric appliances installed
The goal of the requirements is to make it more feasible and cost-effective to transition to heat pump and high-efficiency electric appliances in place of gas appliances in the future.
Electric ready requirements apply when gas or propane appliances are installed for space or water heating, cooking, and/or clothes drying. Section 160.9 of the 2022 Energy Code specifies electric ready requirements for:
- Heat pump space heater ready:
- A dedicated 240V branch circuit wiring with a minimum 30-amp branch circuit conductor installed within 3 feet from the furnace and the blank cover labeled “240V Ready”
- A reserved space in the main panel for a double pole circuit breaker for a future heat pump space heater installation and labeled “For Future 240V Use”
- Electric cooktop ready:
- A dedicated 240V branch circuit wiring with a minimum 50-amp branch circuit conductor installed within 3 feet from the cooktop and the blank cover labeled “240V Ready”
- A reserved space in the main panel for a double pole circuit breaker for a future electric cooktop installation and labeled “For Future 240V Use”
- Electric clothes dryer ready:
- Individual dwelling units
- A dedicated 240V branch circuit wiring with a minimum 30-amp branch circuit conductor installed 3 feet from the clothes dryer location and the blank cover labeled “240V Ready”
- A reserved space in the main panel for a double pole circuit breaker for a future electric clothes dryer installation and labeled “For Future 240V Use”
- Common use areas (See Figure 1)
- Termination points for the conductors or raceways installed at the main panel, to a location 3 feet or less from each gas outlet
- Electrical conductors, raceway, panels, switchboards, and busbars must be sized to meet the future electric power requirements at the service voltage to the point at which the conductors serving the building connect to the utility distribution system
- The capacity requirements may be adjusted for demand factors in accordance with the California Electric Code and must meet one of the following:
- 24 amps at 208V/240V per clothes dryer;
- 2.6 kVA for each 10,000 Btu/hr of rated gas input or gas pipe capacity; or
- The electrical power required to provide equivalent functionality of the gas-powered equipment, as calculated and documented by a project participant
- Gas flow rates must be determined in accordance with the California Plumbing Code
- Individual dwelling units
The electric ready requirements for heat pump water heaters (See Figure 2) outlined in Section 160.4(a) apply to systems using gas or propane water heaters that serve individual dwelling units. These systems must meet the following criteria:
A dedicated 125V, 20-amp receptacle connected to the electrical panel with a 120V/240V 3-conductor 10 AWG copper branch circuit, within 3 feet from the water heater and accessible to the water heater with no obstructions, and in addition to the following:
- Both ends of the unused conductor shall be labeled with the word “spare” and be electrically isolated; and
- A reserved single pole circuit breaker space in the electrical panel adjacent to the circuit breaker for the branch circuit and labeled “Future 240V Use”
- A Category III or IV, or Type B Vent with straight pipe between the outside termination and the space where the water heater is installed
- A condensate drain ≤ 2 inches above the base of installed water heater to allow for natural drainage
- A gas supply line with a capacity of at least 200,000 Btu/hr
See the Blueprint for more information, including articles and frequently asked electric ready questions, about the 2022 Energy Code.