California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards were adopted by the California Energy Commission (CEC) in 1976 and have been updated periodically as directed by statute. In 1975, the California Department of Housing and Community Development adopted rudimentary energy conservation standards under State Housing Law authority that were a precursor to the first generation of the standards. However, the Warren-Alquist Act was passed one year earlier with explicit direction to the CEC, formally titled the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, to adopt and implement the standards. The CEC’s statute created separate authority and specific direction regarding what the standards are to address, what criteria are to be met in developing the Energy Code, and what implementation tools, aids, and technical assistance are provided.
The standards contain energy and water efficiency requirements (and indoor air quality requirements) for newly constructed buildings, additions to existing buildings, and alterations to existing buildings. Public Resources Code Sections 25402 subdivisions (a)-(b) and 25402.1 emphasize the importance of building design and construction flexibility by requiring the CEC to establish performance standards, in the form of an “energy budget” by building type in terms of the energy consumption per square foot of floor space.
Public Resources Code Section 25402.1 requires the CEC to support the Energy Code with compliance tools for builders and building designers. The Compliance Manuals provide information supplemental to the Energy Code regulations. The manuals are intended to help plans examiners, inspectors, owners, designers, builders, and energy consultants comply with and enforce California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards.