REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Introduce an Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 3248-25 and Title 16 (Buildings and Construction) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code to Supplement the Findings and Revise the Recently Adopted 2025 Triennial California Building Code Amendments with Clarifications Related to the Energy Code and Green Building Code and Make Minor Corrections
Report
BACKGROUND
As required by State law, local jurisdictional amendments to the California Energy Code must be submitted to the California Energy Commission (CEC) to demonstrate that the changes are more cost-effective than the requirements adopted by the State. In 1974, the Warren-Alquist Act was passed by the California Legislature, which created the CEC. The Act required the CEC to adopt and implement building energy efficiency standards that are cost-effective over the economic life of a structure. If a city or county wants to adopt stricter requirements to reduce greenhouse gases further, it must demonstrate that the cost impact on a building will not increase.
On September 30, 2025, the City Council introduced an ordinance to update the Sunnyvale Municipal Code to adopt the triennial edition of the State Building Codes, along with local amendments (RTC No. 25-0610). On October 21, 2025, the City Council adopted this ordinance (Ordinance No. 3248-25).
The adopted ordinance was submitted to the CEC for review. CEC staff requested that, prior to review by the CEC, the ordinance be modified to state that the local amendments to the 2025 California Energy Code are consistent with the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 1, ?10-106(b) 2 and 3. These regulations outline the documentation requirements for the Executive Director of the CEC and include the requirement for an express statement of findings that the proposed energy standards will require buildings to be designed to consume less energy. Although City staff provided this information with the ordinance demonstrating complian...
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