Bill Text: CA AB368 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 368

Bill Title: Energy: building standards: passive house standards.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-05-07 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. [AB368 Detail]

Download: California-2025-AB368-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly April 07, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 368

Introduced by Assembly Member Ward
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Boerner and Schultz)

February 03, 2025

An act to add Section 25402.17 to the Public Resources Code, relating to energy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 368, as amended, Ward. Energy: building standards: passive house standards.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to prescribe, by regulation, lighting, insulation, climate control system, and other building design and construction standards, and energy and water conservation design standards, for new residential and new nonresidential buildings to reduce the wasteful, uneconomic, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy, as specified.

This bill would require the commission to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of passive house energy efficiency standards, and, if appropriate, adopt those standards, or any elements that align with the state’s existing requirements, as an alternative compliance pathway for the building efficiency standards established by the Energy Commission. standards by California climate zone, using commission-adopted metrics such as long-term system cost. The bill would require the commission to evaluate the use of the 2 passive house energy models currently required for passive house certification in its analysis and the cost-effectiveness of passive house construction compared to existing construction, as specified. The bill would require the commission, on or before December 31, 2026, to submit a report to the Legislature documenting its findings and recommendations.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 25402.17 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

25402.17.

(a) The commission shall evaluate the cost-effectiveness of passive house energy efficiency standards, and, if appropriate, adopt those standards, or any elements of the passive house standards that align with the state’s existing requirements, as an alternative compliance pathway for the building efficiency standards established in Part 6 (commencing with Section 100.0) of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. standards by California climate zone, using commission-adopted metrics such as long-term system cost.

(b) The commission shall evaluate the use of the two passive house energy models currently required for passive house certification in its analysis and the cost-effectiveness of passive house construction compared to existing construction under Part 6 (commencing with Section 100.0) of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations.
(c) (1) On or before December 31, 2026, the commission shall submit a report to the Legislature documenting its findings and recommendations.
(2) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2029, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(3) The report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.