Upgrading Title 24: Residential and Nonresidential Building Energy Standards Improvements in California

Douglas Mahone, Heschong Mahone Group
Steven Blanc, Patrick Eilert, Gary Fernstrom, and Marshall Hunt, Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

Keywords

Abstract

Traditionally, most of the changes to California’s energy standards were generated, vetted and proposed by Energy Commission staff or their consultants. Beginning in 2000, however, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has used public benefits and energy program monies to take an active role in this process.

This involvement has taken the form of Codes and Standards Enhancement (CASE) Initiatives. A CASE Initiative research project, and its support document, results in a detailed and well defended code change proposal that is submitted to the Energy Commission for consideration and ultimate adoption into the state’s energy standards.

The source of many of the CASE Initiatives has been PG&E’s energy efficiency program experience. These programs have helped to introduce efficient products and practices into the marketplace, build their support networks, and bring down their costs. When they are “ready for prime time,” they can be adopted into standards, making them a permanent part of standard practice for new building construction.

This paper presents examples of 2001 PG&E CASE Initiatives for both residential and nonresidential building. Included are proposals for time dependent valuation, residential lighting efficiency, improved water heating efficiency, multifamily building standards, nonresidential bi-level lighting controls, chillers and cooling towers, night ventilation, and others. These are code change ideas that will save energy in California, and which could be widely applicable in other state and federal codes.