New building codes in Los Gatos support electrification

The Los Gatos Town Council on Nov approved new policies that would apply to new homes and renovations and address greenhouse gas reduction The council voted unanimously to adopt the latest iteration of the California Building Standards Code which goes into effect statewide on Jan The code is updated every three years and municipalities are restricted from making local amendments as it applies to residential progress until June However there are exceptions for amendments regarding home hardening wildfire safety administrative efficiency or greenhouse gas reduction strategies Related Articles Santa Clara County real estate House on Walnut Grove Avenue sells for Dublin property sale Single-family residence sells for million Inside the sale of a Santa Clara County home Walnut Creek housing maturation might replace miniature golf subject Single-family home sells for million in Oakland In adopting the state code the council also approved reach codes that exceed the state s minimum building vigor and green building standards saying that the reach codes are integral to the town s greenhouse gas reduction strategy Additionally the town implemented two new reach codes that incentivize electrification One requires old air conditioners to be replaced with heat pumps which according to the Department of Force are an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners The pumps transfer heat from one part of the house to another to maintain a constant temperature The other reach code requires outlet and panel ceiling to accommodate electrical appliances if any electrical work is required within three feet of a gas appliance I believe that this is moving in a direction that our general plan required us to do without putting any undue restriction on anyone revealed Councilmember Maria Ristow The updated codes were largely supported by youth circumstances groups and other organizations focused on environmental sustainability I ve learned the way we cool our homes ends up heating the Earth in other places noted a Los Gatos High School participant who supported the installation of heat pumps instead of new air conditioners Much of the opposition to the reach codes came from realtors and homeowners who feared that replacing gas-powered or outdated appliances would be too costly and that the codes were asking too much of people who just sought to modify their homes I don t have any way to interpret the reach code on electrical readiness as anything other than We re going to make you do upgrades now that are costlier and more complicated even if you may not need them for two three five or years ' disclosed a speaker over Zoom Much of the discussion was around the cost of upgrading panels and circuits to accommodate increased electrification Representatives from Silicon Valley Clean Force and consultants from TRC Power reassured the council and members of the general that the reach codes may not trigger circuit panel upgrades or costly underground work as heat pumps can use the same electricity source as an air conditioner and that neither reach code requires utility panel upgrades Silicon Valley Clean Vitality offers a - rebate for heat pumps and a rebate per pre-wired circuit for electrical appliances or for four circuits in a house