"The council voted unanimously to adopt the latest iteration of the California Building Standards Code, which goes into effect statewide on Jan. 1, 2026. The code is updated every three years, and municipalities are restricted from making local amendments as it applies to residential development until June 1, 2031. However, there are exceptions for amendments regarding home hardening, wildfire safety, administrative efficiency or greenhouse gas reduction strategies."
"In adopting the state code, the council also approved reach codes that exceed the state's minimum building energy 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 Energy, are an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners."
"I believe that this is moving in a direction that our general plan wanted us to do without putting any undue restriction on anyone, said Councilmember Maria Ristow. The updated codes were largely supported by youth climate 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," said a Los Gatos High School student who supported the installation of heat pumps instead of new air conditioners."
Los Gatos Town Council unanimously adopted the California Building Standards Code, effective Jan. 1, 2026, while using allowed local amendments for greenhouse gas reduction and safety. Municipalities cannot change residential provisions until June 1, 2031, but exceptions include home hardening, wildfire safety, administrative efficiency and greenhouse gas strategies. The town approved reach codes that exceed state energy and green building minimums and added two electrification incentives: requiring replacement of old air conditioners with heat pumps and requiring outlet and panel capacity when electrical work occurs near gas appliances. Youth climate groups supported the updates while some realtors and homeowners expressed opposition due to replacement concerns.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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