Santa Clara County Municipal Code Art. 2 Additions, Deletions, and Amendments to 2025 California Energy Code

Additions, deletions, and amendments to the CEC are as set forth in this article.

(Ord. No. NS-1100.138, § 5, 12-9-25)

The all-electric amendments for new construction set out in this section, which were initially adopted in December 2021, will be enforced only to the extent permitted under federal law.

Subchapter 1 of the CEC is adopted with the following amendments:

(a) Subsection (e)(2)(A) of Section 100.0 (Scope) is amended to read as follows:

(2) Newly constructed buildings.

(A) All newly constructed buildings. Sections 110.0 through 110.12 apply to all newly constructed buildings within the scope of Section 100.0(a). In addition, newly constructed buildings shall meet the requirements of Subsection B, C, D, or E, as applicable, and shall be All-Electric Buildings as defined in Section 100.1(b).

Exceptions:

1. Non-Residential F, H, and L occupancies, or other similar research and development uses as determined by the building official, are exempt from the all-electric building provisions of this section until the next code adoption cycle.

2. Group I occupancies such as hospitals and correctional facilities are exempt from the all-electric building provisions of this section until the next code adoption cycle.

3. Junior accessory dwelling units to mixed-fuel buildings are exempt from the all-electric building provisions of this section.

4. If the applicant establishes there is not an all-electric compliance pathway for the building under the Energy Code, and the building is not able to achieve the performance compliance standard applicable to the building under the Energy Code using commercially available technology and an approved calculation method, the building official may grant a modification to the all-electric building provisions of this section.

5. If the applicant establishes that constructing an All-Electric Building would be infeasible, the building official may grant a modification to the all-electric building provisions of this section.

Note 1: If natural gas plumbing is used per the Exceptions above, the natural gas appliance locations must also be electrically pre-wired for future electric appliance installation, including all of the following:

a. A dedicated circuit, phased appropriately, for each appliance, with a minimum amperage requirement for a comparable electric appliance (see manufacturer's recommendations) with an electrical receptacle or junction box that is connected to the electric panel with conductors of adequate capacity, extending to within 3 feet of the appliance and accessible with no obstructions. Appropriately sized conduit may be installed in lieu of conductors.

b. Both ends of the conductor or conduit shall be labeled with the words "For Future Electric appliance" and be electrically isolated.

c. A circuit breaker shall be installed in the electrical panel for the branch circuit and labeled for each circuit (i.e., "For Future Electric Range").

d. All electrical components, including conductors, receptacles, junction boxes, or blank covers, related to related to this section shall be installed in accordance with the County Electrical Code.

Note 2: If any of the Exceptions are met, the building official shall have the authority to approve alternative materials, design, and methods of construction or equipment per CBC section 104.

(b) Anew subsection, 100.0(e)(2)(G), is added to read as follows:

G. Stationary Battery Storage Pre-wire. All single-family residential and low-rise multifamily buildings as defined in Section 100.1 of this Code and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), as defined in the County Zoning Ordinance Code Section 2.10.030, shall be prewired for the installation of battery storage. The prewiring shall be in accordance with the California Building, Residential, and Electrical Codes and be adequately sized by a licensed professional to accommodate the back-up loads installed in the critical load panel with a minimum of 5 kwh.

(c) Subsection (b) of Section 100.1 (Definitions and Rules of Construction) is amended to add the following definitions:

ALL-ELECTRIC BUILDING is a building that has no natural gas or propane plumbing installed within the building, and that uses electricity as the source of energy for its space heating, water heating (including pools and spas), cooking, and clothes drying.

INFEASIBLE is when the building official finds that compliance with the all-electric building standards would make the specific work of the project affected by the all-electric standards not feasible, based on an overall evaluation of the following factors by the developer: (1) The cost of complying with all-electric construction. (2) The cost of all construction contemplated. (3) The impact of proposed improvements on the financial feasibility of the project. (4) Existing physical or site constraints that prohibit all-electric construction that is in full and strict compliance with the minimum requirements. The details of any finding of infeasibility shall be recorded and entered in the files of the building official.

(Ord. No. NS-1100.138, § 5, 12-9-25)

Subchapter 5 of the CEC is adopted with the following amendments:

(a) Section 140.0 (Performance and prescriptive compliance approaches) is amended to read as follows:

140.0. Performance and prescriptive compliance approaches. Nonresidential, high-rise residential, and hotel/motel buildings shall comply with all of the following:

(a) The requirements of Sections 100.0 through 110.12 applicable to the building project (mandatory measures for all buildings).

(b) The requirements of Sections 120.0 through 130.5 (mandatory measures for nonresidential, high-rise residential, and hotel/motel buildings).

(c) For all newly constructed buildings, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system shall be installed that is equivalent in size to 15 percent of the oof area, excluding any skylight area, shall be installed on the roof or overhang of the building, on the roof or overhang of another structure located within 250 feet of the building, or on covered parking installed with the building project.

Exceptions:

i. The building official or their designee may grant a modification to this requirement if the applicant demonstrates that the required percentage of PV installation will over-generate the annual kWh required to operate the proposed building.

ii. The PV system size may be reduced to the maximum that can be accommodated by the effective annual solar access due to shading from existing permanent natural or manmade barriers external to the building, including but not limited to trees, hills, and adjacent structures. The effective annual solar access shall be 70 percent or greater of the output of an unshaded PV array on an annual basis. No PV system is required if the effective annual solar access is restricted to less than 200 contiguous square feet. If the applicant demonstrates that conditions exist where excessive shading occurs, a performance equivalency approved by the building official may be used as an alternative.

iii. Vegetative roofs covering 35 percent of the roof area or greater, meeting all relevant code requirements including considerations for wind, fire, and structural loads.

(d) Either the performance compliance approach (energy budgets) specified in Section 140.1 or the prescriptive compliance approach specified in Section 140.2 for the climate zone in which the building will be located. Climate zones are shown in Figure 100.1-A.

Note to Section 140.0(c): The Commission periodically updates, publishes and makes available to interested persons and local enforcement agencies precise descriptions of the climate zones, which is available by zip code boundaries depicted in the Reference Joint Appendices along with a list of the communities in each zone.

Note to Section 140.0: The requirements of Sections 140.1 through 140.9 apply to newly constructed buildings. Section 141.0 specifies which requirements of Sections 140.1 through 140.9 also apply to additions or alterations to existing buildings.

(Ord. No. NS-1100.138, § 5, 12-9-25)