Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE), Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) and the San Mateo County Office of Sustainability (OOS) are joining together to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within their service territories by developing forward-thinking building and transportation electrification reach codes.

In support of municipalities and counties in PCE & SVCE service territory, PCE & SVCE are providing extensive technical assistance plus a $10,000 incentive to each city that brings reach codes to their council.

The building electrification reach code language is based on the current IOU C&S Program cost effectiveness studies included below.  

Building Electrification Model Reach Code

• Menlo Park Model (all-electric model, Climate Zones 3 and 4), Version Date: January 14, 2020
• Climate Zone 3 (all-electric preferred model, most of San Mateo County), Version Date: October, 2019
• Climate Zone 4 (all-electric preferred model, most of Santa Clara County), Version Date: October, 2019
• San Mateo County Ordinance (Version Date: February, 2020). If you have unincorporated San Mateo County construction project related questions, please contact sustainability@smcgov.org

Electric Vehicle Model Reach Code Language, Version Date: January 7, 2020

Materials:

• Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Cost Analysis
• Model Staff Report Version: November 21, 2019
• Sample Code Facts and Findings
• Reach Code Informational Flyers (SVCE / PCE)
• Slide Deck Library for City Staff Use
• Building Department Checklist (single family)
• California Energy Commission Reach Code Submission Package
• Electrification Cost Story Infographic

IOU C&S Program Draft 2019 Reach Code Cost Effectiveness Studies:

• 7/25/19 IOU C&S Program: Non-Residential New Construction Reach Codes Report
• 8/1/19 IOU C&S Program: Low-Rise Residential New Construction Reach Codes Report

Cities are encouraged to participate and avail themselves of the technical support by completing the “Stay in Touch” section below. To obtain the $10,000 incentive, complete the letter of intent and submit the draft codes to city council.

For additional questions or specifics on the letter of intent, please contact Rafael Reyes (PCE), Rachael Londer (OOS) or John Supp (SVCE).

Every three years, cities and counties across the state can adopt local reach codes in line with the new Building Standards Code (Standards) or Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. Cities and counties may adopt building codes more advanced than those required by the state, which are known as reach codes.

Reach codes aim to update local building codes concurrently with the state-required adoption of the 2019 Standards. The previous adoption cycle with new Standards took effect January 1, 2017. The next reach code adoption cycle, to coincide with the 2019 Title 24 Standards went into effect January 1, 2020, and were adopted by cities and the County by the end of calendar year 2019. Reach codes may include:

• Prescriptive Codes: Require one or more specific energy efficiency measures
• Performance Codes: Require a building to perform more efficiently based on accepted computer modelling and allow trade-offs between energy efficiency measures

Several cities within San Mateo County and Santa Clara County have utilized reach codes in the past similar to this effort, including Palo Alto and San Mateo. For a list of recently adopted reach codes, please visit the Building Decarbonization Coalition Summary of Active Reach Code Efforts

1. Contact PCE/SVCE to understand resources available*
2. Conduct community engagement
3. Draft local amendments
4. Submit to council for review**
5. Application to Energy Commission
6. File with Building Standards Commission

*Letter of Intent for $10,000 support grant from SVCE or PCE
**Payment of $10,000 support grant from SVCE or PCE

Building Electrification Cost Effectiveness

• California Codes and Standards Reach Codes Program Statewide Cost Effectiveness Studies
• Residential Building Electrification in California
• UC Carbon Neutral Buildings Cost Study
• Decarbonization of Heating Energy Use in California Buildings

Electric Vehicle Cost Effectiveness

• San Francisco
• Oakland/Fremont

Building Decarbonization Coalition Summary of Active Reach Code Efforts

BAYREN Process for Reach Code Development & Adoption

Residential Cooktop Performance and Energy Comparison Study

A Zero Emissions All-Electric Multifamily Construction Guide

Building Decarbonization Presentation by Panama Bartholomew (SVCE YouTube channel / Slides)

Statewide Toolkit for Adopting Reach Codes

Reach Code Ordinances (adopted by local governments across CA)

Click here to view additional FAQs, Version Date: January 14, 2020

• January 8^th, 2020 – California Building Inspection Group
  • Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM PDT, Location: 1 Library Ave, Millbrae, CA 94030, USA
  • CALBIG Building & Electric Vehicle Reach Codes Presentation
• January 6^th, 2020 – Builders Roundtable (San Mateo County Jurisdictions)
  Time: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM PDT, Location: 455 County Center, 1st Floor, Room 101
• June 24^th, 2019 – Reach Code Peer Cities Working Group (San Mateo County Jurisdictions)
  Time: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDT
• June 6^th, 2019 – Electric Vehicle Charging: Draft Reach Code Language Release
  Time: 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM PDT, Location: Webinar
• May 29^th, 2019 – Draft Reach Code Language Release
  Time: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM PDT, Location: Webinar
• April 24^th, 2019 – Reach Code Measures Announcement
  Time: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM PDT, Location: Webinar
  Repeat of April 11th Session
• April 11^th, 2019 – Reach Code Measures Announcement
  Time: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM PDT, Location: Webinar
• April 2^nd, 2019 – 2019 Reach Codes Studies: Technical Review
  Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDT, Location: Webinar
• March 27^th, 2019 – 2019 PCE, SVCE & OOS Reach Code Working Group, Redwood City – Additional Session
  Time: 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM PDT, Location: Peninsula Clean Energy, 2075 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA 94061
• March 24^th, 2019 Draft Model Reach Code Measures (slides)
• March 20^th, 2019 – 2019 SVCE Reach Code Charrette, Santa Clara County
  • Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM PST, Location: Auditorium, County Service Building 2, 1555 Berger Drive, San Jose, CA 95112
    Event Flyer
  • Santa Clara County Reach Code Charrette Presentation
• March 19^th, 2019 – 2019 PCE Reach Code Charrette, San Mateo County
  • Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM PST, Location: City of San Mateo Downtown Public Library, 55 West 3rd Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94402
  • San Mateo County Reach Code Charrette Presentation
• March 8th, 2019 – PCE, SVCE & OOS Reach Code Cost Effectiveness Findings/Update Webinar
  Time: 11 AM – 12 PM PST, Location: Webinar & Live at PCE with lunch and discussion to follow.
• March 7^th, 2019 – BayREN Workshop on Energy Reach Codes
  • Time: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM PST, Location: Bay Area Metro Center, 375 Beale Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
  • BayREN’s Guide to Understanding and Adopting Reach Codes
• January 16^th, 2019 Reach Code Kick Off Presentation at PCE
• January 15^th, 2019 Reach Code Kick Off Presentation at SVCE