Building Electrification and Reach Codes

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Building Electrification

All Electric Housing Development with Sunset in Background

The electrification of buildings involves a transition from utilizing appliances that run on natural gas or fossil fuels to those that use electricity. Electric appliances perform the same job as appliances historically installed in homes and businesses and they are more energy efficient by a large margin.

While it may not be known, standard buildings with natural gas appliances, like heating and air ventilation (HVAC) systems, for example, emit about 66 tons per day of nitrous oxide (NOx[2]) which is a harmful gas. - California Air Resources Board (CARB)

Electrifying appliances is better for both indoor and outdoor air quality and can increase the vitality of the health and safety of our community.

Read more about Goleta’s energy provider, Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE), here and learn about the benefits of electrification and reach codes below.

Image: The Winslowe - An all-electric housing development in Goleta

Benefits of Electrification

Building electrification offers numerous environmental, financial and health-related benefits.

Electric appliances produce substantially less airborne contaminants than appliances that use gas as their energy source. This means that they are better for the indoor air quality within our homes. A recent study found that children growing up in homes with gas stoves have an increased risk of developing asthma. Switching to electric stoves, such as induction stoves, to eliminate invisible pollutants that come from burning natural gas in the home can make a difference in our health.

Electric heat pump water heaters and HVAC systems, are far more energy efficient than their gas counterparts. This can save you money in energy costs as heat pumps, for example, are more versatile and can perform both heating and cooling tasks.

Electric appliances can be powered by clean energy such as rooftop solar or Central Coast Community Energy's clean power options - 3C-Prime (100% carbon-free/renewable).

Learn more about the benefits of making your home all-electric in the section below.

Available Incentives for Building Electrification

The Switch Is On

Tools to Help You Electrify

Central Coast Community Energy

3C-REN

CA Energy Smart Homes

New Construction & Alterations (Manufactured housing coming soon)

Inflation Reduction Act

High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act (HEEHRA)
“Covers 100 percent of electrification project costs (up to $14,000) for low-income households and 50 percent of costs (up to $14,000) for moderate-income households”

Energy Efficient Home Improvement credit, or 25C
“Allows households to deduct from their taxes up to 30% of the cost of upgrades to their homes”
“Limited to $600 per measure, up to $1,200 per household per year” (except limit is $2,000 for heat pumps & heat pump water heaters)

Residential Clean Energy credit, or 25D
“Deduct 30 percent of the cost of the [solar or battery] project”

Reach Codes

Rooftop view of Goleta from the Hilton with trees and buildings

The City of Goleta is actively collaborating with the County of Santa Barbara, City of Santa Barbara and the City of Carpinteria to develop reach codes that support electrification of new buildings and increased electric vehicle charging access. Reach codes are codes that cities and counties may adopt which include standards that exceed the requirements that are set by the state.

Reach codes that encourage increased energy efficiency, building and transportation electrification, and renewable energy can save energy and reduce GHG emissions.

In 2020, Goleta’s energy use (from both electricity and natural gas) accounted for 40.4% of the community’s total emissions. Of that total energy use, natural gas use in buildings accounted for 40% of Goleta’s energy emissions. The City of Goleta can reduce emissions by powering new and existing buildings and vehicles with greenhouse gas-free electricity.

What are we doing about it now?

In September 2024, City Council adopted and EV Reach Code to improve the amount of EV charging available across Goleta that went into effect in October 2024. Additionally, City staff is developing a reach code following a performance approach which uses source energy as the performance metric for buildings. Our energy code is currently being amended and updated to increase energy efficiency for newly constructed buildings.

What is a Reach Code and why is it established?

Cities and counties may adopt building codes more advanced than those required by the state, which are known as reach codes.

Reach codes can take the form of local municipal code amendments that extend beyond the state code minimum requirements for energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. These municipal code amendments are not tied to the three-year state code cycle and can be adopted indefinitely.

Electrification transitions buildings and vehicles away from natural gas and gasoline to clean energy provided by the utilities and Central Coast Community Energy. By developing electrification reach codes, cities and counties area can save energy and reduce GHG emissions. With improved indoor air quality and no combustion or fire risk, all-electric buildings are safer and healthier to live in along with being cost effective, especially when adopted at the new construction stage.

Where has this been done before?

In 2021, the City of Santa Barbara adopted a local ordinance that effectively prohibited natural gas infrastructure in new construction with the exception of restaurants, labs, clean rooms and public interest projects. Learn more about the City of Santa Barbara's ordinance.

Additionally over 60 jurisdictions across the state have adopted local ordinances that require or prefer all-electric construction. Explore more adopted reach codes in California.

Adopted EV Reach Code

In September 2024, City Council adopted an Electric Vehicle (EV) Reach Code to improve the amount of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in new construction and major alterations per the 2022 California Building Code. The requirements by building type are listed below.

Adopted Ordinance

Projects in the Hospital Zone as indicated by the Title 17 will be exempted from the EV reach code. This reach code will remain in effect until January 1, 2026 when the 2025 California Building Code will take effect.

Single Family Residential

Graph demonstrating that for single-family homes and two-family townhomes that 2 EV spaces total are required on the electrical panel with 1 Level 2 EV Ready circuit and 1 Level 1 EV Ready circuit

Multifamily Residential

Graph demonstrating that for multifamily residential developments that 100% of the spaces for residents shall provide low power Level 2 EV Ready spaces and in the sapces for common use parking 25% should have Level 2 EVCS and 75% should have Level 2 EV Ready low power spaces

Hotels & Motels

Graph demonstrating that for Hotels and Motels that 40% of parking spaces shall provide low power Level 2 EV Ready spaces and 25% Level 2 EVCS spaces

Nonresidential

Graph demonstrating that for Office & Retail Nonresidential developments that 23% of spaces shall provide Level 2 EVCS and 7% EV capable spaces. For all other nonresidential development 15% of spaces should provide EVCS and 15% of spaces shall be EV Capable

Public Outreach & Timeline

Upcoming Events & Presentations

We are currently in the process of developing and presenting an Energy Performance Reach Code to the Goleta City Council with observation of regional best practices and the support of neighboring jurisdictions.

Past Events & Presentations

December 16, 2024 Reach Code Collaboration

Confirming electric readiness requirements and application of codes to new construction

December 10, 2024 Reach Code Collaboration

Developing outreach plan and public workshop

November 21, 2024 - Goleta Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Meeting

Presenting New Construction Reach Code options
Continuing collaboration with local jurisdictions and policy models

November 18, 2024 Reach Code Collaboration

October 21, 2024 Reach Code Collaboration

Jurisdictions discuss initial presenting of model ordinances
Forecasting next round of statewide building codes in 2025

January 30, 2024 - Goleta Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Meeting

Assess Monarch 1 Performance and progress on 100% renewable electricity goal
Discuss Permit Fee Waivers for building electrification
Council Packet

September 28, 2023 - Goleta Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Meeting

Recognize other jurisdictions pursuing alternative options
Monitoring best practices to support electrification

May 2, 2023

Intended to conduct second reading of ordinance
Since placed on hold indefinitely re: CA Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley

April 17, 2023 California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley ruling

April 18, 2023 - Goleta City Council - First Reading of Ordinance

Council Packet
First reading of ordinance passed unanimously

March 29, 2023 - Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee Presentation

March 18, 2023 - Induction Cooking Demonstration - Carpinteria Community Library

March 17, 2023 - Induction Cooking Demonstration - Goleta Valley Library

February 21, 2023 - Building Electrification Ordinance Public Workshop

January 26, 2023 - Reach Code Advisory Committee Meeting #3

January 23, 2023 - Goleta Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Meeting

January 9, 2023 - Carpinteria City Council

December 7, 2022 - Santa Barbara Regional Climate Collaborative - Equity, Outreach & Advocacy Subcommittee Presentation

December 5, 2022 - Santa Barbara Association of Realtor's Meeting

October 28, 2022 - Santa Maria Valley Chamber

October 27, 2022 - Cities-County Joint Affordable Housing Task Group Meeting

October 18, 2022 - Reach Code Advisory Committee Meeting #2

Recording
- Passcode: cg1Ly.
Slides

October 13 , 2022

2 Public Workshops for New Building Electrification Codes (Carpinteria, Goleta, County of Santa Barbara)

October 12, 2022 - City of Goleta Green Committee

October 10, 2022 - City of Carpinteria City Council

October 6, 2022 - County Agriculture Advisory Committee Presentation

Presentation

October 4, 2022 - County Board of Supervisors

Sept 28, 2022 - Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee Presentation

Presentation

Sept 15, 2022 - Reach Code Advisory Committee Meeting #1

More Resources

Project Contact - Dana Murray, Sustainability Manager- dmurray@cityofgoleta.org

Goleta, CA

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