The California Energy Commission (CEC) has unanimously approved a new set of energy efficiency standards for new homes and commercial buildings.
Overall, the 2013 Building Energy Efficiency Standards are 25% more efficient than previous standards for residential construction and 30% better for nonresidential construction, the CEC says.
Among other requirements, including more-efficient windows and insulated hot water pipes, the new standards require both residential and commercial buildings to have ‘solar-ready roofs’ so that owners can add PV installations, if desired, at a future date.
On average, the standards will increase the cost of constructing a new home by $2,290 but will return more than $6,200 in energy savings over 30 years, according to the CEC.
The standards take effect on Jan. 1, 2014. More information is available here.
