CALGreen · California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen)
Scope and general provisions
This part sets CALGreen’s title, purpose and scope, defines applicability and agency responsibilities (§101–§106), and explains required construction‑document verifications.
Last reviewed: July 6, 2026
Overview
This part of CALGreen establishes the title, purpose and statewide scope for the Green Building Standards Code — including the code’s intent to improve public health, safety and welfare by reducing buildings’ environmental impacts (see §101.1–§101.2) and the broad applicability to the planning, design, construction, operation, use and occupancy of newly constructed buildings (§101.3) . It also makes clear that CALGreen is not itself a third‑party certification program and that some measures are mandatory while others remain voluntary or locally adopted (§101.3, voluntary tiers discussed elsewhere in the code) .
The chapters in this part set up administration and enforcement: the general scope and requirements (§101), construction documents and verification (§102), and the roles of adopting/enforcing agencies (§103–§106), which identify state agencies (BSC, HCD, DSA, OSHPD, etc.) and the occupancies they regulate . Practical items you’ll find here include submittal and verification requirements for construction documents, the agency matrix that shows which sections apply to which agencies, and the procedures for local amendments and the incorporation of voluntary tiers where adopted locally (§102; §103 and following) .
Read this part first to understand what projects must comply, which state or local agency enforces which provisions, and what documentation is required at permit submission and final inspection — the administrative foundation for applying the technical green‑building measures found in later chapters .
In this section
Code references
Grounded in the retrieved California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) — click a citation to read the verbatim passage:
CALGreen § 1-4 High relevance — show source text
1.11 Office of the State Fire Marshal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
1.12 Board of Forestry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
DIVISION II SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
PART 1—GENERAL PROVISIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
101 Scope and General Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
102 Applicability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
PART 2—ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
103 Code Compliance Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
104 Duties and Powers of the Code Official . . . . . . . . . 1-17
105 Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
106 Construction Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
107 Temporary Uses, Equipment and Systems . . . . . . 1-21
108 Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
109 Inspection and Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
110 Certificate of Completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
111 Service Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
112 Means of Appeals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
113 Stop Work Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
CHAPTER 2 DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
201 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
202 Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
CHAPTER 3 WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE AREAS . . . . 3-3
CALGreen § 1-1 High relevance — show source text
agency|BSC|BSC-
CG|SFM|1|2|1/AC|AC|SS|1|1R|2|3|4|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|5| |Adopt entire CA chapter||||||||||||||||||||||| |Adopt entire chapter as
amended (amended
sections listed below)||||||||||||||||||||||| |Adopt only those sections
that are listed below||X||X||||X|X||X||X|||||||||| |Chapter/Section||||||||||||||||||||||| |101||X||X||||X|X||X||X|||||||||| |102||X||X||||X|X||X||X|||||||||| |103||X||||||||||||||||||||| |104||||X||||||||||||||||||| |105||||||||X||||||||||||||| |106|||||||||X||X||X||||||||||2025 CALIFORNIA GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS CODE 1-1
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1 ADMINISTRATION
SECTION 101—GENERAL
101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the California Green Building Standards Code, may be cited as such, and will be referred to herein as “this code.” It is intended that it shall also be known as the CALGreen Code. The California Green Building Stan- dards Code is Part 11 of thirteen parts of the official compilation and publication of the adoption, amendment and repeal of building regulations to the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, also referred to as the California Building Standards Code.
101.2 Purpose. The purpose of this code is to improve public health, safety and general welfare by enhancing the design and construction of buildings through the use of building concepts having a reduced negative impact or positive environmental impact and encouraging sustainable construction practices in the following categories:
- Planning and design.
- Energy efficiency.
- Water efficiency and conservation.
- Material conservation and resource efficiency.
- Environmental quality.
101.3 Scope. The provisions of this code shall apply to the planning, design, operation, construction, use and occupancy of every newly constructed building or structure, unless otherwise indicated in this code, throughout the State of California.
It is not the intent that this code substitute or be identified as meeting the certification requirements of any green building
program.
101.3.1 State-regulated buildings, structures and applications. Provisions of this code shall apply to the following buildings, structures and applications regulated by state agencies as specified in Sections 103 through 106, except where modified by local ordinance pursuant to Section 101.7. When adopted by a state agency, the provisions of this code shall be enforced by the appropriate enforcing agency, but only to the extent of authority granted to such agency by statute. 1.
CALGreen § 1-5 High relevance — show source text
1.11 Office of the State Fire Marshal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
DIVISION II— SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-13
Part 1—General Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
101 Scope and General Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13 102 Applicability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Part 2—Administration and Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
103 Code Compliance Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14 104 Duties and Powers of the Fire Code Official . . . . . . . 1-14
105 Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
106 Construction Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
107 Temporary Structures, Uses, Equipment and Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
108 Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
109 Inspections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
110 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
111 Service Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
112 Means of Appeals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28 113 Violations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
114 Stop Work Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29 115 Unsafe Structures or Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29
CHAPTER 2 DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
CALGreen § 1-3 High relevance — show source text
Appendix G Voluntary Home-Hardening Recommendations.
Appendix G is an informational appendix that provides discussion of some elements of the proposed self-defense mechanisms and their role in enhancing the protection of exposed structures in the wildland-urban interface. The items provided in this appendix provide owners with suggestions for increasing the survivability of their structure. These items are not mandatory but can be considered by owners to increase the safety of structures.
Appendix H Referenced California Documents.
Appendix H contains portions of California statutes and regulations located in other documents. They are reprinted in Appendix H to aid the user in understanding the requirements applicable to wildland-urban interface areas and to provide a background for the provi- sions. Much of the text in the CWUIC is based on the requirements found in these other documents.
Appendix I Board of Appeals.
Appendix I contains the provisions for appeal and the establishment of a board of appeals. The provisions include the application for an appeal, the makeup of the board of appeals and the conduct of the appeal process.
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 ADMINISTRATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-3
DIVISION I CALIFORNIA ADMINISTRATION
1.1 General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
1.11 Office of the State Fire Marshal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
1.12 Board of Forestry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
DIVISION II SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
PART 1—GENERAL PROVISIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
101 Scope and General Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
102 Applicability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
PART 2—ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
103 Code Compliance Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
104 Duties and Powers of the Code Official . . . . . . . . . 1-17
105 Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
106 Construction Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
107 Temporary Uses, Equipment and Systems . . . . . . 1-21
CALGreen § 409.4 High relevance — show source text
Shading from obstructions located on the roof or any other part of the building shall not be included in the determination of annual solar access.
3.
Life cycle assessment compliant with Section A5.409.4 in this code may be substituted for prescriptive measures from Division A5.4.|1.
Exception: Allowance may be permitted in Tier 2 for up to 5-percent specialty purpose flooring.
2.
Solar water-heating system requirement for newly constructed restaurants as per A5.203.1.1.2.
Exceptions:
a. Buildings with a natural gas service water heater with a minimum of 95-percent thermal efficiency.
b. Buildings where greater than 75 percent of the total roof area has annual solar access that is less than 70 percent. Solar access is the ratio of solar insolation including shade to the
solar insolation without shade. Shading from obstructions located on the roof or any other part of the building shall not be included in the determination of annual solar access.
3.
Life cycle assessment compliant with Section A5.409.4 in this code may be substituted for prescriptive measures from Division A5.4.|1.
Exception: Allowance may be permitted in Tier 2 for up to 5-percent specialty purpose flooring.
2.
Solar water-heating system requirement for newly constructed restaurants as per A5.203.1.1.2.
Exceptions:
a. Buildings with a natural gas service water heater with a minimum of 95-percent thermal efficiency.
b. Buildings where greater than 75 percent of the total roof area has annual solar access that is less than 70 percent. Solar access is the ratio of solar insolation including shade to the
solar insolation without shade. Shading from obstructions located on the roof or any other part of the building shall not be included in the determination of annual solar access.
3.
Life cycle assessment compliant with Section A5.409.4 in this code may be substituted for prescriptive measures from Division A5.4.|A5.601.1 Scope. The measures contained in this appendix are not mandatory unless adopted by local government as specified in Section 101.7. The provisions of this section outline means of achieving enhanced construction or reach levels by incorporating addi
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APPENDIX A5 — NONRESIDENTIAL VOLUNTARY MEASURES
tional green building measures for newly constructed nonresidential buildings as well as additions and alterations. In order to meet one of the tier levels designers, builders or property owners are required to incorporate additional green building measures necessary to meet the threshold of each level. Refer to the provisions in Section 301.3 for nonresidential additions and alterations scope and application.
A5.601.2 CALGreen Tier 1
A5.601.2.1 Prerequisites. To achieve CALGreen tier status, a project must meet all of the mandatory measures in Chapter 5 and, in addition, meet the provisions of this section.
A5.601.2.2 Energy performance. For the purposes of mandatory energy efficiency standards in this code, the California Energy Commission will continue to adopt mandatory standards.
CALGreen § 409.4 High relevance — show source text
Solar access is the ratio of solar insolation including shade to the
solar insolation without shade. Shading from obstructions located on the roof or any other part of the building shall not be included in the determination of annual solar access.
3.
Life cycle assessment compliant with Section A5.409.4 in this code may be substituted for prescriptive measures from Division A5.4.|A5.601.1 Scope. The measures contained in this appendix are not mandatory unless adopted by local government as specified in Section 101.7. The provisions of this section outline means of achieving enhanced construction or reach levels by incorporating addi
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APPENDIX A5 — NONRESIDENTIAL VOLUNTARY MEASURES
tional green building measures for newly constructed nonresidential buildings as well as additions and alterations. In order to meet one of the tier levels designers, builders or property owners are required to incorporate additional green building measures necessary to meet the threshold of each level. Refer to the provisions in Section 301.3 for nonresidential additions and alterations scope and application.
A5.601.2 CALGreen Tier 1
A5.601.2.1 Prerequisites. To achieve CALGreen tier status, a project must meet all of the mandatory measures in Chapter 5 and, in addition, meet the provisions of this section.
A5.601.2.2 Energy performance. For the purposes of mandatory energy efficiency standards in this code, the California Energy Commission will continue to adopt mandatory standards.
A5.601.2.3 Tier 1. Comply with the energy efficiency requirements in Section A5.203.1.1 and Section A5.203.1.2.1.
A5.601.2.4 Voluntary measures for Tier 1. In addition to the provisions of Sections A5.601.2.1 and A5.601.2.3 above, compliance with the following voluntary measures from Appendix A5 is required for Tier 1:
- From Division A5.1, a. Comply with the designated parking requirements for high-efficiency vehicles for a minimum of 35 percent of parking capacity per Section A5.106.5.1. b. Electric vehicle (EV) charging [N] and Table A5.106.5.3.1 w/ footnotes. c. Comply with thermal emittance, solar reflectance or SRI values for cool roofs in Section A5.106.11.2 and Table A5.106.11.2.2. [1]
d. Comply with one elective measure selected from this division. 2. From Division A5.2 comply with ONE of the following:
Outdoor lighting as described in A5.203.1.1.1.
Service water heating in restaurants as described in A5.203.1.1.2.
Warehouse Dock Seal Doors A5.203.1.1.3.
Daylight Design Power Adjustments 5.203.1.1.4.
Exhaust Air Heat Recovery A5.203.1.1.5.
From Division A5.3,
a. Comply with the 12-percent reduction for indoor potable water use in Section A5.303.2.3.1. b. Comply with one elective measure selected from this division.
- From Division A5.4,
CALGreen § 101.1 High relevance — show source text
1 ADMINISTRATION
SECTION 101—GENERAL
101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the California Green Building Standards Code, may be cited as such, and will be referred to herein as “this code.” It is intended that it shall also be known as the CALGreen Code. The California Green Building Stan- dards Code is Part 11 of thirteen parts of the official compilation and publication of the adoption, amendment and repeal of building regulations to the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, also referred to as the California Building Standards Code.
101.2 Purpose. The purpose of this code is to improve public health, safety and general welfare by enhancing the design and construction of buildings through the use of building concepts having a reduced negative impact or positive environmental impact and encouraging sustainable construction practices in the following categories:
- Planning and design.
- Energy efficiency.
- Water efficiency and conservation.
- Material conservation and resource efficiency.
- Environmental quality.
101.3 Scope. The provisions of this code shall apply to the planning, design, operation, construction, use and occupancy of every newly constructed building or structure, unless otherwise indicated in this code, throughout the State of California.
It is not the intent that this code substitute or be identified as meeting the certification requirements of any green building
program.
101.3.1 State-regulated buildings, structures and applications. Provisions of this code shall apply to the following buildings, structures and applications regulated by state agencies as specified in Sections 103 through 106, except where modified by local ordinance pursuant to Section 101.7. When adopted by a state agency, the provisions of this code shall be enforced by the appropriate enforcing agency, but only to the extent of authority granted to such agency by statute.
State-owned buildings, including buildings constructed by the Trustees of the California State University, and to the extent permitted by California law, buildings designed and constructed by the Regents of the University of California and regulated by the Building Standards Commission. See Section 103 for additional scoping provisions.
Energy efficiency standards regulated by the California Energy Commission.
All residential buildings constructed throughout the State of California, including but not limited to, hotels, motels, lodging houses, apartments, dwellings, dormitories, condominiums, shelters for homeless persons, congregate residences, employee housing, factory-built housing and other types of dwellings containing sleeping accommodations with or without common toilets or cooking facilities regulated by the Department of Housing and Community Development. See Section 104 for additional scoping provisions.
Public elementary and secondary schools, and community college buildings regulated by the Division of the State Architect. See Section 105 for additional scoping provisions.
Qualified historical buildings and structures and their associated sites regulated by the State Historical Building Safety Board within the Division of the State Architect.
General acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, skilled nursing and/or intermediate care facilities, clinics licensed by the Department of Public Health and correctional treatment centers regulated by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. See Section 106 for additional scoping provisions.
Graywater systems regulated by the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Green building standards for occupancies where no state agency has authority or expertise, adopted by the California Building Standards Commission. See Section 103 for additional scoping provisions.
CALGreen § 304.1 High relevance — show source text
SECTION 304—VOLUNTARY TIERS
304.1 Purpose. Voluntary tiers are intended to further encourage building practices that improve public health, safety and general welfare by promoting the use of building concepts which minimize the building’s impact on the environment and promote a more sustainable design.
304.1.1 Tiers. The provisions of Divisions A4.6 and A5.6 outline means, in the form of voluntary tiers, for achieving enhanced construction levels by incorporating additional measures for residential and nonresidential new construction. Voluntary tiers may be adopted by local governments and, when adopted, enforced by local enforcing agencies. Buildings complying with tiers specified for each occupancy contain additional prerequisite and elective green building measures necessary to meet the threshold of each tier. See Section 101.7 of this code for procedures and requirements related to local amendments, additions or deletions, including changes to energy standards.
[BSC & HCD] Where there are practical difficulties involved in complying with the threshold levels of a tier, the enforcing agency may grant modifications for individual cases. The enforcing agency shall first find that a special individual reason makes the strict letter of the tier impractical and that modification is in conformance with the intent and purpose of the measure. The details of any action granting modification shall be recorded and entered in the files of the enforcing agency.
SECTION 305 [OSHPD 1]— CALGreen TIER 1 AND CALGreen TIER 2
305.1 CALGreen Tier 1 and CALGreen Tier 2 buildings contain voluntary green building measures necessary to meet the threshold of each level.
305.1.1 CALGreen Tier 1. To achieve CALGreen Tier 1, buildings must comply with the latest edition of “Savings By Design, Healthcare Modeling Procedures” found online at http://www.energysoft.com/main/page_ downloads_ sbd_healthcare.html.
305.1.2 CALGreen Tier 2. To achieve CALGreen Tier 2, buildings must exceed the latest edition of “Savings By Design, Healthcare Modeling Procedures” by a minimum of 15 percent.
SECTION 306 [DSA-SS]—VOLUNTARY MEASURES
306.1 Purpose. For public schools and community colleges, voluntary measures further encourage building practices that improve public health, safety and general welfare by promoting the use of building concepts which minimize the building’s impact on the environment and promote a more sustainable design.
306.1.1 Appendix A5, Divisions A5.1 through A5.5, outline means of achieving enhanced sustainable design and construction by incorporating voluntary measures that exceed the mandatory measures.
306.1.2 Chapter 5 Nonresidential Mandatory Measures that are not adopted as mandatory measures by DSA-SS are voluntary measures recommended and encouraged for the design, construction, verification and maintenance of non-energy systems.
Note: The building commissioning requirements for energy efficiency specified in the California Energy Code are required.
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CALIFORNIA GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS CODE – MATRIX ADOPTION TABLE
CHAPTER 4 – RESIDENTIAL MANDATORY MEASURES
(Matrix Adoption Tables are nonregulatory, intended only as an aid to the code user. See Chapter 1 for state agency authority and building applications.)
CALGreen § 5.105.2 Medium relevance — show source text
Exception: Combined addition(s) to existing building(s) of two times the area or more of the existing building(s) is not eligible to meet compliance with Section 5.105.2 or Section A5.105.2.
A5.409.2 Whole building life cycle assessment. Projects shall meet the minimum requirements of Section A5.409.2 for Tier 1 or Tier 2 compliance.
A5.409.2.1 Tier 1. Projects shall conduct a cradle-to-grave whole building life cycle assessment meeting the requirements of Section 5.409.2 and performed in accordance with ISO 14040 and 14044, excluding operating energy, demonstrating a minimum 15-percent reduction in global warming potential (GWP) as compared to a reference baseline building of similar size, function, complexity, type of construction, material specification, and location that meets the requirements of all parts of the California Building Standards Code currently in effect. Software used to conduct the whole building life cycle assessment, including reference baseline building, shall have a data set compliant with ISO 14044, and ISO 21930 or EN 15804, and the software shall conform to ISO 21931 and/or EN 15978. The software tools and data sets shall be the same for evaluation of both the baseline building and the proposed building.
Exception: For projects that include building reuse, the reference baseline building shall exclude the reused elements. The percent reduction in GWP shall be achieved through the design and construction of new project elements.
A5.409.2.2 Tier 2. Projects shall conduct a cradle-to-grave whole building life cycle assessment meeting the requirements of Section 5.409.2 and performed in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, excluding operating energy, demonstrating a minimum 20-percent reduction in GWP as compared to a reference baseline building of similar size, function, complexity, type of construction, material specification, and location that meets the requirements of all parts of the California Building Standards Code currently in effect. Software used to conduct the whole building life cycle assessment, including reference baseline building, shall have a data set compliant with ISO 14044, and ISO 21930 or EN 15804, and the software shall conform to ISO 21931 and/or EN 15978. The software tools and data sets shall be the same for evaluation of both the baseline building and the proposed building.
Exception: For projects that include building reuse, the reference baseline building shall not be of new construction and shall retain existing materials. The percent reduction in GWP shall be achieved through the design and construction of new project elements.
A5.409.2.3 Verification of compliance. A summary of the GWP analysis produced by the software and Worksheet WS-7 signed by the design professional of record shall be provided in the construction documents as documentation of compliance. A copy of the whole building life cycle assessment which includes the GWP analysis produced by the software, in addition to maintenance and training information, shall be included in the operation and maintenance manual and shall be provided to the owner at the close of construction. The enforcing agency may require inspection and inspection reports in accordance with Sections 702.2 and 703.1 during and at completion of construction to demonstrate substantial conformance. Inspection shall be performed by the design professional of record or third party acceptable to the enforcing agency.
A5.409.3 Product GWP compliance—prescriptive path. Each product that is permanently installed and listed in Table A5.409.3 shall have a Type III environmental product declaration (EPD), either product-specific or factory-specific.
CALGreen § 5.410.2.1 Medium relevance — show source text
Informational Note:
- Functional performance testing for heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems and lighting controls must be performed in compliance with the California Energy Code.
5.410.2.1 Owner’s or Owner representative’s Project Requirements (OPR). [N] The expectations and requirements of the building appropriate to its phase shall be documented before the design phase of the project begins. This documentation shall include the following:
- Environmental and sustainability goals.
- Building sustainable goals.
- Indoor environmental quality requirements.
- Project program, including facility functions and hours of operation, and need for after hours operation.
- Equipment and systems expectations.
- Building occupant and operation and maintenance (O&M) personnel expectations.
5.410.2.2 Basis of Design (BOD). [N] A written explanation of how the design of the building systems meets the OPR shall be completed at the design phase of the building project. The Basis of Design document shall cover the following systems:
Renewable energy systems.
Landscape irrigation systems.
Water reuse systems.
5.410.2.3 Commissioning plan. [N] Prior to permit issuance a commissioning plan shall be completed to document how the project will be commissioned. The commissioning plan shall include the following:
- General project information.
- Commissioning goals.
- Systems to be commissioned. Plans to test systems and components shall include: a. An explanation of the original design intent. b. Equipment and systems to be tested, including the extent of tests.
c. Functions to be tested.
d. Conditions under which the test shall be performed. e. Measurable criteria for acceptable performance. 4. Commissioning team information. 5. Commissioning process activities, schedules and responsibilities. Plans for the completion of commissioning shall be included.
5.410.2.4 Functional performance testing. [N] Functional performance tests shall demonstrate the correct installation and operation of each component, system and system- to-system interface in accordance with the approved plans and specifications.
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NONRESIDENTIAL MANDATORY MEASURES
Functional performance testing reports shall contain information addressing each of the building components tested, the testing methods utilized, and include any readings and adjustments made.
5.410.2.5 Documentation and training. [N] A systems manual and systems operations training are required, including Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requirements in California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 8, Section 5142, and other related regulations.
5.410.2.5.1 Systems manual. [N] Documentation of the operational aspects of the building shall be completed within the systems manual and delivered to the building owner or representative. The systems manual shall include the following:
Site information, including facility description, history and current requirements.
Site contact information.
Basic operations and maintenance, including general site operating procedures, basic troubleshooting, recommended maintenance requirements, site events log.
Major systems.
Site equipment inventory and maintenance notes.
A copy of verifications required by the enforcing agency or this code.
Other resources and documentation, if applicable.
CALGreen § 102.1 Medium relevance — show source text
- The application checklist identifies which measures are required by this code and allows users to check off which voluntary items have been selected to meet voluntary tier levels if desired or mandated by a city, county, or city and county.
SECTION 102—CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS AND INSTALLATION VERIFICATION
102.1 Submittal documents. Construction documents and other data shall be submitted in one or more sets with each application for a permit. Where special conditions exist, the enforcing agency is authorized to require additional construction documents to be prepared by a licensed design professional and may be submitted separately.
Exception: The enforcing agency is authorized to waive the submission of construction documents and other data not required to be prepared by a licensed design professional.
102.2 Information on construction documents. Construction documents shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and scope of the proposed green building feature and show that it will conform to the provisions of this code, the California Building Standards Code and other relevant laws, ordinances, rules and regulations as determined by the enforcing agency.
102.3 Verification. Documentation of conformance for applicable green building measures shall be provided to the enforcing agency. Alternate methods of documentation shall be acceptable when the enforcing agency finds that the proposed alternate documentation is satisfactory to demonstrate substantial conformance with the intent of the proposed green building measure.
[HCD] Documentation of conformance for applicable green building measures shall be provided to the enforcing agency. All projects shall submit a completed Residential Occupancies Application Checklist that includes Chapter 4 residential mandatory measures and Tier 1 or Tier 2, as applicable. References to the measure-specific documentation used to show compliance shall be included. Alternate methods of documentation shall be acceptable when the enforcing agency finds that the proposed alternate documentation is satisfactory to demonstrate substantial conformance with the intent of the proposed green building measure.
Note: HCD’s Residential Occupancies Application Checklist that includes the minimum criteria for documentation is available at: http://www.hcd.ca.gov/building-standards/calgreen/cal-green-forms.shtml.
SECTION 103—BUILDING STANDARDS COMMISSION
103.1 BSC-CG. Specific scope of application of the agency responsible for enforcement, the enforcement agency, and the specific authority to adopt and enforce such provisions of this code, unless otherwise stated.
- Application— All occupancies where no state agency has the authority to adopt green building standards applicable to those occupancies. Enforcing agency— State or local agency specified by the applicable provisions of law. Authority cited— Health and Safety Code Sections 18930.5(a), 18938 and 18940.5. Reference— Health and Safety Code, Division 13, Part 2.5, commencing with Section 18901.
- Graywater systems. The construction, installation and alteration of graywater systems for indoor and outdoor uses in nonresidential occupancies. Application— All occupancies where no state agency has the authority to adopt green building standards applicable to those occupancies. Enforcing agency— State or local agency specified by the applicable provisions of law. Authority cited— Health and Safety Code Section 18941.8. Reference— Health and Safety Code Section 18941.8.
103.1.1 Adopting agency identification. The provisions of this code applicable to buildings identified in this section will be identified in the Matrix Adoption Tables under the acronym BSC-CG.
2025 CALIFORNIA GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS CODE 1-5
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ADMINISTRATION
CALGreen § 8-10 Medium relevance — show source text
8-10 2025 CALIFORNIA GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS CODE
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COMPLIANCE FORMS, WORKSHEETS AND REFERENCE MATERIAL
Title 23, Waters, California Code of Regulations
2025 CALIFORNIA GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS CODE 8-11
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8-12 2025 CALIFORNIA GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS CODE
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COMPLIANCE FORMS, WORKSHEETS AND REFERENCE MATERIAL
Commissioning Referenced Standards for Non-Energy Systems
The following CALGreen Referenced Standards are included herein as a convenience for the users of the California Green Building Standards Code, but they are not considered to be part of the code unless they are officially adopted by a local jurisdiction.
Contents Page Part 1: Standards for Compliance with Building Commissioning 8-14 Part 2: Commissioning Sample Forms and Templates 8-23
2025 CALIFORNIA GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS CODE 8-13
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COMPLIANCE FORMS, WORKSHEETS AND REFERENCE MATERIAL
PART 1 STANDARDS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH BUILDING COMMISSIONING
Reference: Section 5.410.2, Commissioning.
Introduction:
The purpose of this code is to improve public health, safety and general welfare by enhancing the design and construction of buildings through the use of concepts that reduce negative and increase positive environmental impacts. Commissioning is a vital element in this effort.
Definitions used in the CALGreen Cx Reference standard:
Acronyms
BOD Basis of Design
Cx Commissioning
FPT Functional Performance Test
HVAC Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning
O&M Operations and Maintenance
OPR Owner’s Project Requirements
Glossary:
Acceptance Criteria— The conditions that must be met for systems or equipment to meet defined and expected outcomes.
Commissioning (Cx)— Building commissioning as required in this code involves a quality assurance process that begins during design and continues to occupancy. Commissioning verifies that the new building operates as the owner intended and that building staff are prepared to operate and maintain its systems and equipment. Exceptions are allowed for dry storage warehouses of any size and conditioned spaces under 10,000 square feet accessory to them; and for tenant improvements under 10,000 square feet within a larger space.
Owner— The individual or entity holding title to the property on which the building is constructed.
Commissioning Coordinator— The person who coordinates the commissioning process. This can be either a third-party commissioning provider or an experienced member of the design team or owner in-house staff member.
Commissioning Team— The key members of each party involved with the project designated to provide insight and carry out tasks necessary for a successful commissioning project. Team members may include the commissioning coordinator, owner or owner’s representative, building staff, design professionals, contractors or manufacturer’s representatives and testing specialists.
Frequently asked questions
What types of projects does this part of CALGreen apply to?
The code’s scope explicitly covers the planning, design, operation, construction, use and occupancy of newly constructed buildings statewide; see §101.3 for the general applicability and the note that the code is not intended to replace third‑party green‑building certifications .
Who enforces CALGreen provisions for a given building?
Sections §103–§106 identify the adopting/enforcing agencies (for example, the Building Standards Commission, HCD, DSA, OSHPD) and the occupancies each agency regulates; the Matrix Adoption Tables in Chapter 1 show which sections each agency enforces .
What documentation is required at permit submittal?
Section §102 requires construction documents adequate to show the proposed green building features and documentation/verifications of conformance; the enforcing agency may accept alternate documentation when it demonstrates substantial conformance .
More in California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen)
- Administration (Chapter 1)
- Nonresidential Voluntary Measures (Appendix A5 — divisions A5.1–A5.6, electives & verification)
- Residential Mandatory Measures — Planning & Design; Energy; Water; Materials; Environmental Quality (Chapter 4)
- Definitions (Chapter 2)
- Voluntary Standards for Health Facilities (Appendix A6 / OSHPD guidance)
- Green Building – scope, mixed occupancies, phased projects (Chapter 3)
- Residential Voluntary Measures (Appendix A4 — divisions A4.1–A4.6, tiers & model ordinance)
- Nonresidential Mandatory Measures — Planning & Design; Energy; Water; Materials; Environmental Quality (Chapter 5)
- Compliance verification, construction documents & checklists (Section 102, Chapter 7, Appendix checklists)
- Referenced Organizations and Standards (Chapter 6)
- Voluntary Tiers and CALGreen Tier 1 / Tier 2 (performance tiers, thresholds)
- Installer and Special Inspector Qualifications (Chapter 7)
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