TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Carrie Tai, AICP, Community Development Director
Dana Murray, Environmental Sustainability Manager
Ryan Heise, Building Official
SUBJECT: Title
Discuss and Provide Direction on Potential Regulatory Actions that Increase Energy Efficiency of Buildings (Community Development Director Tai).
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council discuss and provide direction to staff regarding potential regulatory actions that serve to increase energy efficiency of buildings, including possibly amending the building code to transition to decarbonizing new buildings to improve indoor air quality and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Should City Council direct staff to develop updated regulations, costs related to staff time and implementation will be incurred. The electric readiness provisions will require plan checkers and inspectors to apply additional check lists to mixed-fuel buildings. Energy performance amendments parallel the structure and terms of the State code and as such, increases in plan check and inspection time are commensurate with the amendments. While this is not expected to significantly increase staff time, upfront costs associated with training and reference materials are expected. Any added costs of administering amendments may be reviewed when next updating permit fees.
BACKGROUND:
In 2019, City Council directed staff and the Sustainability Task Force to discuss options and provide recommendations for increasing energy efficiency of new buildings through a "reach code." A reach code is a local building energy code that "reaches" beyond the state minimum requirements for energy use in building design and construction, creating opportunities for local governments to lead beyond State requirements. Reach codes help encourage development of ene...
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