Brief history of CA Energy Code.
The Warren-Alquist Act, enacted in 1974, created the state Energy Commission and mandated that they periodically (usually every 3 years) update Building Energy Efficiency Standards for the state of California to reduce wasteful energy consumption including greenhouse gas emissions. These standards, known as CA Title 24, cover both residential and non-residential newly constructed buildings, additions and alterations to existing buildings.
CA Title 24 is structured into various parts, each addressing specific aspects of building codes. These parts cover as follows:
The 2022 CA Energy Code is also known as the latest version of Title 24 is now in effect. Title 24, Part 6 is the section of code that regulates state building energy efficiency requirements for Residential and Nonresidential buildings. In this blog, we will be focusing on Nonresidential indoor lighting standards.
The Energy Code is conceptually divided into three basic sets:
- Basic set of Mandatory requirements that apply to all buildings. Min efficiency requirements must always be met and can’t be substituted regardless of compliance approach used.
- Set of Performance approach. Optional features accounted for when doing Performance based computer modeling.
- Set of Prescriptive approach as an alternative to the performance approach. Required when using the Prescriptive compliance approach.
