At the Global Climate Action Summit in September 2018, governments from around the region, state, and world issued commitments to carbon neutrality by 2050 or earlier. What implications does this have for the built environment, existing energy efficiency goals, and local building codes? The final BayREN forum of 2018 examined the definition of “zero net carbon,” (ZNC) as well as how local governments can set policies for efficiency in energy and material use to achieve a ZNC built environment. The forum covered growing considerations in efficient design, energy use, and retrofits, enabling cities to go beyond incremental energy savings to achieve bold carbon neutrality targets. It introduced concepts of lifecycle carbon emissions from both operational and embodied energy usage, the importance of addressing materials in order to achieve the immediate emission reductions that are necessary, and local government policy tools.

• Welcome and Introductions | Jeffery Liang, BayREN Representative, StopWaste (Alameda County)
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Panel Session | Moderator: Miya Kitahara, Program Manager, StopWaste
  • Defining Zero Net Carbon | Larry Strain, Siegel & Strain Architects 
    • Watch the recorded presentation
  • Lifecycle Carbon for New Construction| Bruce King, Ecological Building Network
    • Watch the recorded presentation
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades with Carbon in Mind| Nick Dirr, Association for Energy Affordability
    • Watch the recorded presentation
  • Empire State Building Case Study and Panel Questions
    • Watch the recorded presentation
• BAAQMD Grant: Reducing Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment | Alice Zanmiller, BayREN Representative, County of Marin
  • Watch the recorded presentation

Join us to discuss impacts of the 2019 Building Energy Standards on options and opportunities for reach codes in the coming code cycle. Learn about significant changes in the 2019 Standards, exchange ideas for reach codes opportunities and share considerations, challenges and experiences with other local governments, and identify strategies and tools to ensure successful adoption and implementation processes.

Reach Codes Best Practices Workshop Presentation Materials

2020 Vision Workshop Presentation

2019 Reach Codes Process and Timeline

2019 Reach Codes Opportunities

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) provide much-needed housing in an environmentally friendly way, but state building code requirements, including the 2016 Energy Code, can create barriers for property owners interested in building ADUs.  This forum will include a series of presentations from industry experts and government staff about the energy code requirements for ADUs, the role of ADUs in providing housing in the region, and no-cost resources for facilitating the construction of energy-efficient ADUs. 

• Forum Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions | Deborah Elliott, BayREN Representative
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• ADUS: Policy Changes & Role in Meeting Regional Housing Need | Ada Chan, Regional Planner, ABAG/MTC
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Recent Energy Code "Clarifications" for ADU's | Gina Rodda, Principal Owner, Gabel Energy
  • Watch the recorded presentation 
• Lessons Learned from ADU Projects in the Bay Area | Kevin Casey, Founder & CEO, New Avenue Inc.
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• ADUs, Energy Efficiency, Conservation & Waste Prevention | Kol Peterson, Owner, Accessory Dwelling Strategies, LLC.
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• What Can Local Governments do to Advance ADUs | Josh Abrams, Principal, Baird + Driskell Community Planning
  • Watch the recorded presentation

This forum presented several new strategies and tools for energy code compliance. Presentation included a broad perspective of common energy code compliance challenges faced by local governments, followed by case studies and information on several innovative approaches, including electronic tools for residential and commercial projects and in-person assistance for local governments.

• Forum Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions | Kellen Dammann, BayREN Representative
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Energy Code Compliance: The Broader Perspective | Brian Selby, Principal, Selby Energy Inc.
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Leveraging the HERS Registry | Roy Eads, Senior Technical Manager, CalCERTS, Inc.
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• BayREN’s Electronic Permit Tool in Practice | Demian Hardman, Senior Planner, Contra Costa County
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Energy Code Coach Program | Erin Malcolm-Brandt, Senior Manager, Center for Sustainable Energy
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Acing the Energy Code Compliance Process | Jill Marver, Senior Program Manager, Pacific Gas & Electric
  • Watch the recorded presentation

The first Regional Forum for 2018  "Increasing Reliability and Resiliency with Microgrids: How to Implement from Design to Interconnection" was held in San Francisco on March 27.

Microgrids are localized grids that have the potential to improve reliability and resiliency of the grid, offer a backup energy solution for communities during grid outages, and contribute to achieving California’s clean energy future. This forum aimed to help local governments, utilities and the private sector understand the benefits of microgrids, what to expect when planning a microgrid and how to navigate some of the complexities of creating a feasible design model. Presentations included an update on the State’s microgrid roadmap, project case studies and resources available to support the design process.

• Forum Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions | Rachael Londer and Andrea Chow, BayREN Representatives
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• California Energy Commission Microgrid Roadmap Update | Anthony Ng, CEC
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Oakland EcoBlock | Daniel Hamilton, City of Oakland
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Ready, Set, Resilience: Berkeley Energy Assurance Transformation | Katie Van Dyke, City of Berkeley
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• North Bay Community Resilience Initiative: The Path to Resilience and Sustainability | Greg Thomson, Clean Coalition
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• PG&E Microgrid Categories | David Rubin, PG&E
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• USGBC- Assessing & Verifying Microgrids through PEER | Brenden McEneaney, USGBC
  • Watch the recorded presentation
  • To learn more about the PEER standard, go to peer.gbci.org. For specific technical questions, please contact Jamie State at jstatter@usgbc.org. Here are some examples of projects from the PEER v2 launch this week.
• Panel Session: Microgrid Opportunities and Challenges for Local Governments
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Closing Statements | Rachael Londer, BayREN Representative

Speakers Included:

• Anthony Ng, Energy Commission Specialist, Energy Deployment & Market Facilitation Office, California Energy Commission
• Daniel Hamilton, Sustainability Manager, City of Oakland
• Greg Thompson, Community Microgrid Initiative Director, Clean Coalition
• Katie Van Dyke, Climate Action Program Manager, City of Berkeley
• David Rubin, Pacific Gas and Electric
• Brenden McEneaney, Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal (PEER),United States Green Building Council

Additional Resources:

• Association of Bay Area Governments Resilience Program, Energy Planning: Implementing Microgrids as a Resilience Strategy was held September 28, 2017. Additional resources, including agenda, workshop presentations, and webinar recordings can be found here.
• City of Fremont Fire Station Microgrid Demonstration and Case Study
• Bay Area Regional Collaborative Model Solar Ordinance Update handout

The last Regional Forum for 2017  "Matching Supply with Demand: Preparing Local Governments for the Rise of Renewables and Its Impact on the Grid" was held in San Francisco on October 24.

The uptake of solar PV is becoming one of the most disruptive influences on the electricity grid. With the impending adoption of the 2019 Building Standards and with many local governments now implementing ordinances that mandate solar PV on new residential construction, this forum aimed to help local governments and the private sector understand the implications on the grid, and discuss how they can advance strategies at the local level to help stabilize the grid and mitigate integration impacts.

• Forum Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions | Deborah Elliot, BayREN Representative
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Keynote Presentation: Why Sonoma Clean Power is Incentivizing Electric Vehicles | Cordel Stillman, Sonoma Clean Power
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• California Energy Code and the Grid - Navigating the Political Landscape | Chris Bradt, Frontier Energy, Inc.
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Local Solar and Storage - Benefits to the Grid and Your Community | Kelly Knutsen, California Solar Energy Industries Association
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• It All Adds Up to Zero - California's ZNE Future (and What We're Doing About It) | Rory Cox, California Public Utilities Commission
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• California's Commercial ZNE Action Plan Update - Identifying the Best Plan for the Future | Mindy Craig, BluePoint Planning
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Panel Session: How can Local Governments Prepare for the Rise of Renewables and its Impact on the Grid?
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Closing Statements | Deborah Elliot, BayREN Representative

Speakers Included:

Cordel Stillman, Director of Programs, Sonoma Clean Power
Chris Bradt, Senior Program Manager, Frontier Energy, Inc.
Rory Cox, Senior Regulatory Analyst, California Public Utilities Commission
Kelly Knutsen, Senior Policy Advisor, California Solar Energy Industries Association
Mindy Craig, Principal, BluePoint Planning

Many local governments are setting and meeting ambitious targets aimed at improving energy efficiency in public buildings while encouraging the private sector to do the same. This forum showcased local case studies on municipal innovation, discussed the needs and trends in the commercial real estate industry, and assessed how stakeholders can help exchange knowledge between industry sectors. Representatives from the City of Richmond and the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), along with PG&E and consultants from DNV-GL formed a panel session to discuss municipal innovation, commercial building needs, and the nexus between the two.

• Forum Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions | Candis Mary-Dauphin & Jeffery Liang, BayREN Representatives
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Opening Presentation: Municipal Buildings as Trendsetters - In Theory and In Practice | Brendan Havenar-Daughton, PG&E
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• BayREN Municipal ZNE Technical Assistance Program and City of Richmond Case Study | Blake Herrschaft, DNV-GL & Adam Lenz, City of Richmond
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Energy Efficiency in the Commercial Sector - Trends and Needs | Hafsa Burt, BOMA Oakland/East Bay Chapter Codes & Standards Committee & John Eckmann, CBRE
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Panel Session: How can local governments improve leadership in the building sector

The second quarterly Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) Regional Forum, properly titled Local Mandatory Solar Ordinance as a Pathway for New Residential Zero Net Energy (ZNE) Construction, focused on informing local governments about the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) mandatory solar ordinance model and approval process. Over 70 people from building, energy and local government communities, including a legislative aide with the County of San Mateo Board of Supervisors, attended the event either in person or online which featured panel discussions and presentations from city managers and climate and energy experts.

• Forum Agenda (PDF download)
• Welcome Presentation and Introductions | Rachael Londer and Andrea Chow, San Mateo County BayREN Representatives
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• ZNE and CEC Model Solar Ordinance | Amy Dryden | Build It Green
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Mandatory Solar in New Home Construction | Rachel DiFranco | City of Fremont
  • Report on Jurisdictions with Mandatory Solar Ordinances (PDF Download)
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• City of San Mateo Reach Code Adoption | Kathy Kleinbaum | City of San Mateo
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Bay Area Regional Solar Ordinance Toolkit | Yvette DiCarlo | Bay Area Air Quality Management District
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Renewable Water Heating Model Local Ordinance | Rachel Golden | Sierra Club
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Primer on Solar Technology and Incentivizing Residential Solar for Homeowners and Developers | Christina Armor | Business Council on Climate Change
  • SunShares FAQ 
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Panel Session: Expediting ZNE Buildings through Solar Ordinances and Incentives
  • Watch the recorded presentation

The focus of this workshop was to help local governments address misconceptions and questions about 2016 Title 24, Part 6 (Energy Code) implications for designing new, or applying deep energy retrofits for, all-electric low-residential buildings, which are expected to increase as local governments work to integrate state goals to achieve zero net energy (ZNE) buildings.

• Forum Agenda (PDF download)
• Welcome Presentation and Introductions |  Kellen Dammann and Alice Zanmiller | Marin County BayREN Representatives
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards ZNE Strategy (PDF download) | Christopher Meyer, California Energy Commission
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• ZNE: Efficient HVAC and Domestic Hot Water (DHW) Systems and Strategies (PDF download) | Russ King, Benningfield Group, Inc.
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Local Education and Outreach Initiatives Update | Sarah Moore, City of Berkeley
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Multifamily Retrofits & Electrification (PDF download) | Sean Armstrong, Redwood Energy
  • Watch the recorded presentation
• Panel Session: Local Government Interest in All-Electric Residential Buildings
  • Watch the recorded presentation

Additional supporting resources:

• 2016 Energy Standards Water Heating - Minimum Water Heater Energy Factor Reference Guide (CEC) (external link)

Join us for a two hour presentation aimed at supporting local governments working to integrate state goals to achieve zero net energy buildings (ZNE). Attendees will hear case studies on ZNE buildings, learn about new programs and tools to support local government including ZNE policy and plan development, as well as new research and emerging trends.

Ralph DiNola, Chief Executive Officer of New Buildings Institute will be on hand to answer your questions and share resources to help attendees build knowledge on ZNE design and operation strategies, effective policies and codes, planning approaches, and how to support advancement of zero energy buildings. BayREN in partnership with the Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority invite you to join us for this free event for local governments.

Who should attend: City and county government officials, architects, engineers, building owners, planners, project managers, others interested in zero net energy.

Cost: Attendance is free!

RSVP: Please RSVP to Carolyn Glanton at Carolyn.glanton@rcpa.ca.gov or (707)565-5361.

Agenda:

Brief overview of California state ZNE goals and policies
National and California trends
Spectrum of Government Approaches, Evaluation & Prioritization of Projects, Planning Charrettes, Funding
Discussion – Barriers and opportunities
Intro to Planning Process, ZNE Planning Workbook & Sample ZNE Plan
Discussion – Stakeholder Mapping
Overview of ZNE Communications Toolkit, Case Studies, Fact Sheets, ZNE Watch List, ZNE Action Bulletin
Q&A

This Forum brought together Building industry professionals, including building department officials, architects, and contractors to learn about exciting electronic tools and resources developed to assist with energy code related responsibilities. This forum included dynamic breakout discussions facilitated by building industry professionals to develop strategies and best practices to promote greater uniformity in code interpretation in building departments throughout the Bay Area.

• Forum Agenda
• Opening Remarks and Introduction | Omar Pena | Marin County BayREN Representative
• Keynote Speaker: Passive House in California | Graham Irwin | Essential Habitat Architecture
• Product Snapshot Presentations:
  • BayREN Resources | Chris Bradt | BKi on behalf of BayREN
  • CodeCycle | Kim Goodrich | CodeCycle
  • Energy Code Ace | Misti Bruceri | Misti Bruceri & Associates, LLC on behlaf of Energy Code Ace

This Forum brought together department staff, contractors and other building industry peers to share location-specific challenges and solutions stemming from inconsistent and confusing interpretations of the Energy Code. This forum included dynamic breakout discussions facilitated by building industry professionals to develop strategies and best practices to promote greater uniformity in code interpretation in building departments throughout the Bay Area.

• Forum Agenda
• Opening Remarks and Introduction | Cal Broomhead | San Francisco County BayREN Representative
• Presentations:
  • Meeting the Challenges of 2013 California Energy Code | James Zhan | San Francisco Dept. of Building Inspection
  • Top 3 Most Misunderstood Energy Codes | Russ King | Benningfield Group
• Speaker Series:
  • Speaker | James Zhan | San Francisco Dept. of Building Inspection
  • Speaker | Russ King | Benningfield Group
  • Speaker | Tom Garcia | CodeCycle

This Forum brought together department officials, contractors, architects, policy makers and energy consultants to engage with California Energy Commission staff and other policy implementers on how to improve the energy code development  This forum will also included a dynamic breakout discussions facilitated by building industry professionals to develop strategies, resources, and support networks to further enhance collaboration among the various industries responsible for complying and enforcing code.

• Forum Agenda
• Opening Remarks and Introduction | Juan Romero | Santa Clara County BayREN Representative
• Presentations:
  • California's Building Energy Efficiency Standards: Policy Objectives, Participation and Outreach | Heriberto Rosales & Peter Strait | CEC
• Panel Session: Advancing the Stakeholder Engagement Process in Energy Code Development
  • Moderator | Cal Broomhead | San Francisco County BayREN
  • Panelist | Cathy Chappell | TRC, Inc.
  • Panelist | Charles Cormany | Efficiency First
  • Panelist | Heriberto Rosales | California Energy Commission
  • Panelist | Peter Strait | California Energy Commission
  • Panelist | Jeff Pollock | California Association of Building Energy Consultants (CABEC)
  • Panelist | Jim Benya | Benya Burnett Consultancy
  • Panelist | Linda Derivi | American Institute of Architects (AIA)

This Forum brought together local and state government policy leaders, building department personnel, and energy consultants throughout the Bay Area region to share policies and programs influencing small cities. Featured topics included Existing Buildings Energy Efficiency Action Plan (AB 758), the BayREN Codes & Standards Regional Plan Check program, and a shortened version of the training course “Improving Energy Code Compliance in Low-Rise New Construction".

• Forum Agenda
• Opening Remarks and Introduction | Trishia Caguiat | Solano County BayREN Representative
• Presentations:
  • Existing Buildings Energy Efficiency Action Plan (AB 758) | David Ismailyan | California Energy Commission
  • Bay Area Regional Plan Check Program | Demian Hardman| Contra Costa County
  • Coordinating Plan Check with Field Inspection for Residential New Construction | Russ King | Benningfield Group Inc.
• Panel Session: Existing Buildings Energy Efficiency Action Plan (AB 758)
  • Moderator | Wes Sullens | StopWaste
  • Panelist | David Ismailyan | California Energy Commission
  • Panelist | Martha Brook | California Energy Commission
  • Panelist | Jenny Berg | BayREN Program Manager (ABAG)
  • Panelist | Alex Portesawver | City of Benicia

This Forum brought together building department personnel, local government policy leaders and energy consultants throughout the Bay Area region to learn about regional and statewide initiatives aimed at addressing energy code enforcement barriers and challenges, and hear the major findings from the Permit Resource Opportunity Program Final Report and Energy Guide (available here).

• Forum Agenda
• Opening Remarks and Introduction | Andrea Chow | San Mateo County, Office of Sustainability
  • Session A: Compliance Improvement from the Ground Up
    • PROP Final Report Findings | Lynn Benningfield | Benningfield Group
    • 2015 Compliance Improvement Activities | Juan Romero| Santa Clara County
  • Session B: Initiatives for Improving Code Compliance
    • Bay Area Regional Plan Check Pilot Program | Demian Hardman| Contra Costa County
    • Residential HVAC Alts. Permit Compliance: A Best Practices Guide | Marissa Spata | Center for Sustainable Energy

At this Forum,  attendees learned valuable tools and resources for implementing critical policies relating to energy efficiency in community design and how to leverage existing policies and apply best practices that support the needs of their communities.

• Forum Agenda
• Opening Remarks and Introduction | Wes Sullens| BayREN Codes & Standards Program Representative
• Presentations:
  • Panel 1: Quick review of changes to Energy and Green Building Codes
    • Energy Code, Title 24 Part 6 | Russ King | Benningfield Group Inc.
    • CALGreen Code, Title 24 Part 11 and LEED | Wes Sullens | StopWaste
    • Green Point Rated | Bruce Mast | Build It Green
  • Panel 2: Motivations, Benefits and Options for Going Beyond Code
    • Berkeley's BESO Policy and Implementation | Billi Romain | City of Berkeley
    • San Francisco's LEED and GPR Policies | Barry Hooper | San Francisco Department of the Environment
    • Palo Alto's Updated Green Ordinance| Peter Pirnejad | City of Palo Alto
  • Panel 3: Resources for Reach Code Adoption & implementation
    • Process for Local Gov't Filings and Adoptions | Marshall Hunt| PG&E
    • BayREN Cost Effectiveness Studies| Elizabeth Joyce| ARUP
    • BayREN Tools and Resources | Wes Sullens | StopWaste
  • Handouts and Resources:
    • Changes to the Energy Code Measures Summary
    • List of Local Green Building Filing Ordinances

At this Forum,  attendees learned valuable tools and resources for implementing critical policies relating to energy efficiency in community design and how to leverage existing policies and apply best practices that support the needs of their communities.

• Forum Agenda
• PowerPoint Presentations
  • Opening Remarks and Introduction | Daniel Hamilton| ABAG
  • Fiscal Impacts of Building Energy Efficiency in California | Antony Kim | UC Berkeley Center for Resource Efficient Communities (CREC)
  • Sustainability Best Practices and Policy Frameworks for Local Governments | Daniel Hamilton | ABAG
• Lightning Round Policy Presentations
  • Palo Alto's New and Improved Green Building Ordinance: How, What, and Where! | Peter Pirnejad | City of Palo Alto
  • Marin's e-Inspection Program for Energy Efficiency | William "Bill" Kelley | County of Marin
  • Benicia's Graywater System Incentive Kit |Alex Porteshawver | City of Benicia
  • Building Energy Saving Ordinance: Accelerating Savings with Energy Information Disclosure | Billi Romain | City of Berkeley
  • EV Readiness: Context and Opportunities for Action | Rafael Reyes | Bay Area Climate Collaborative
  • BayREN and CaliforniaFIRST Residential PACE Financing: What, Why, Who, How, and How Much? | Jonathan Kevles | Renewable Funding
• Handouts and Resources
  • Municipal Fiscal Impacts of Building Energy Efficiency in California: A Guidebook for Local Officials | William EIsenstein and Louise Mozingo| UC Berkeley CREC
  • Sustainability Best Practices Framework | Institute for Local Government (IGL)
  • California Adaptation Planning Guide: Planning for Adapting Communities | California Emergency Management Agency and California Natural Resources Agency
  • The Marin Carbon Project (this project was referenced by one of the speakers during the meeting) LINK HERE: https://www.marincarbonproject.org/

This Forum was an opportunity for local building department staff and building professionals to ask California Energy Commission staff about interpretations for enforcement of 2013 Title 24 Part 6 – the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards. The handout below contains the questions and answers on the Energy Code, discussions, and clarifications from this Forum.

• Forum Agenda
• PowerPoint Presentations
  • Open Remarks and Introduction | Daniel Hamilton | ABAG
• Handouts and Resources
  • CEC Responses on Energy Code Interpretations

This Forum brought together government policymakers and sustainability staff, energy and water utility staff, and energy professionals to explore programs and technologies that help consumers reduce their water and water heating use, and how local governments can leverage these programs to help reach their climate action plan goals.

• Forum Agenda
• PowerPoint Presentations
  • Opening Remarks and Welcome| Daniel Hamilton | ABAG
  • Finding Value in Water-Energy Program Partnerships | Sam Newman | Pacific Gas & Electric
  • What does the Future of Water-Energy Efficiency look like? | Edward Spang| UC Davis Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
  • Water-Energy Nexus: Strategies and Initiatives | Clifford Chan & Richard Harris| East Bay Municipal Utility District
  • Policies and Programs for Cost Effective Water and Energy Use Efficiency | Gary Klein| Gary Klein & Associates
  • PAYS® on Water Bill Financing: Every Drop Counts | Misty Mersich| Regional Climate Protection Authority
• Handouts and Resources
  • Efficiency PAYS Simplified Data Sheet | Rebecca Brown | BKi

Bay Area elected officials and leaders attended this Regional Forum to hear updates about key state priorities and municipal green building programs from Assembly Member Nancy Skinner and CPUC Commissioner Michael Picker.

• Forum Agenda
• PowerPoint Presentations
  • Opening Remarks and Welcome| Daniel Hamilton | ABAG
  • California's Zero Net Energy Building Goals | Cathy Fogel | California Public Utilities Commission
  • Zero Net Energy: KB Home's Approach to Sustainablity | Jacob Atalla| KB Home
  • Zero Net Energy: What it is, Why it is talked about so much & the role of local governments | Amy Dryden | Build It Green
• Handouts and Resources:
  • Commercial & Residential Green Building Requirements & Reach Codes