Codes: State Delays Effective Date of New Energy Efficiency Standards

By Bob Raymer
Technical Director/Senior Advocate

The California Energy Commission has changed the effective date for the new Building Energy Efficiency Standards to Jan. 1, 2010. The standards were originally set to take effect on Aug. 1.

The CEC decided that a five-month delay was appropriate. It provides the industry and building officials more time to prepare for the new standards. The Commission will use the additional time to provide more information on the standards and work with the California utilities, building industry and the California Building Officials to provide training on the new standards.

Here is the text of the official CEC notice establishing the five-month delay:

    Revised Effective Date for the 2008 California Building Energy Efficiency Standards

    The effective date for the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24, Parts 1 and 6) has been changed to January 1, 2010.

    The California Energy Commission adopted the 2008 Standards on April 23, 2008, and the Building Standards Commission approved them on September 11, 2008. The Standards were scheduled to become effective on August 1, 2009.

    The Energy Commission has experienced delays in completing the public domain compliance software. The Energy Commission had anticipated that these software programs would be available earlier, however the software required further programming attention before the programs could be released. The Energy Commission is resolving those problems, and will provide the programs in the near future.

    This delay provides the industry and building officials more time to prepare for the new Standards. The Energy Commission will use this additional time to provide more information for the Standards and work with the California utilities, building industry and the California Building Officials to provide training on the new Standards.

Bob Raymer can be reached at rraymer@cbia.org.