Building Codes, Appliance Standards, & Building Electrification

Navigating the Power Sector Opportunity in the Building Decarbonization Movement

March 4, 2019 | San Francisco, CA ::

Energy codes and standards mandate baseline efficiency requirements for buildings and appliances in commercial and residential settings. These regulations serve to reduce power demand, lessen environmental impacts, and save consumers money. Codes and standards can also be one of the most cost-effective ways for utilities to save energy and claim savings through state programs.

A new wave of state and city climate change goals are emerging around the country that directly address decarbonization strategies for the building sector. Residential and commercial buildings account for roughly 40% of all energy consumed in the U.S., with electricity and natural gas being the most common energy sources (U.S. Energy Information Administration). This building decarbonization trend is prompting regions to implement new energy codes, as well as introduce innovative measures to existing regulations – including increased efficiency measures, new requirements for renewable energy, and goals to ‘electrify’ buildings by fuel switching from natural gas to electricity.

This specialized symposium will evaluate the current landscape of energy codes and standards for buildings and appliances for a power industry audience. It will discuss processes for energy code development and implementation for buildings and appliances, evaluate how processes vary in different regions, and review best strategies for improving building and appliance efficiency. This event will highlight the growing role of the electric utility in complying with – and collaborating on –these codes and standards, while analyzing the utility opportunity for being involved in energy code discussions, adoption and compliance. Although the event will be national in scope, there will be featured discussions on the advanced work being done in California in energy efficiency codes & standards and building electrification.

Learning Outcomes

Evaluate benefits and opportunities for electric utilities to actively participate in energy codes and standards processes, implementation & compliance
Review the national and state landscape of energy codes & appliance standards
Analyze energy code program components: development, adoption, compliance & enforcement
Address technical requirements of codes & standards programs
Review qualifying mechanical equipment and efficiency R&D
Discuss strategies and trends for building decarbonization
- Building electrification
- Net zero energy buildings
- On site renewable legislation
- Building & appliance efficiency measures
Review California specific initiatives
- California’s Energy New Solar Roof Mandate & Zero Net Energy Buildings
Analyze results from specific case studies of utility total and costs savings

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 1.0 CEUs for this event.

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the conference to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

PowerPoint presentations and case studies will be used in program.

Agenda

Monday, March 4, 2019

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. :: Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:30 –10:00 a.m. :: Energy Building Codes and Appliance Standards: National and State Landscape

Energy codes and standards 101
- What they are, their value and their application
- History of federal and state energy codes & standards
- Current statistics: national electricity consumption of residential and commercial buildings
- Legal overlay of national standards vs. state standards
States and utilities actively engaged with energy codes & standards
Codes and standards for residential and commercial buildings
- Components of building code programs
- Development, implementation, compliance and adoption
- Elements of successful code mandates
Appliance standards – regional update
- State activity in appliance standard adoption
- Utility collaboration on appliance standards
- Variation in state policy frameworks
The power sector opportunity
- Credit, cost and energy savings opportunities
- Reduced energy consumption & CO2 emissions
- Load management
- Saved costs for stakeholders

Allen Lee, Executive Director – Energy Services Division, The Cadmus Group LLC

Chris Granda, Senior Researcher/Advocate, Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP)

10:00 – 10:15 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. :: California Energy Efficiency Standards Update & the Historic State ‘New Solar Roof Mandate’

This session will evaluate the history and current state of the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) standards for energy efficiency for buildings and appliances. It will discuss how the standards and codes are developed, the collaborative process between the CEC and the three California investor owned utilities for effective energy code development and compliance, analyze impacts and savings results, and review how the various regulations help California on its’ path towards meeting state energy and climate change goals. The session will also provide in-depth discussion to a historic new update to the California Energy Efficiency Standards – California’s 2020 Residential Solar Mandate, which orders that starting in 2020, virtually all new homes in California will be required to incorporate advanced efficiency measures and rooftop solar.

- California Energy Commission (CEC) regulation process – how are regulations created?
- California Statewide Codes and Standards program
  - Utility collaboration
  - Impacts and results so far
- Zero-net-energy goals for homes and commercial buildings
- CEC building efficiency standards
  - Residential
  - Nonresidential
- California’s 2020 Residential Solar Mandate

Residential energy storage incentives
CEC appliance efficiency standards

Chris Meyer, Manager – Building Standards Office, Efficiency Division, California Energy Commission (CEC)

12:00 – 1:15 p.m. :: Group Luncheon

1:15 – 2:00 p.m. :: The Utility Saving Opportunity – State Code Compliance Studies

This session will evaluate energy code case studies in multiple states, discussing how the programs were developed and results for utilities complying with the program, including: compliance savings, energy savings, energy cost savings, & state emissions reduction. It will discuss:

A multi-utility energy code compliance program currently in development in Illinois
Results from a three-year energy code pilot program in Kentucky
Results from a utility energy code program in Missouri
Trends on the horizon – utilities pushing for state adoption of stronger energy codes for savings claims

Alison Lindburg, Building Energy Policy Manager, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA)

2:00 – 2:45 p.m. :: Eversource and Massachusetts PAs: Supporting Code Compliance & the Adoption of More Efficient Codes

Northeastern trends & initiatives with energy code requirements and electrification
Benefits for utility involvement in energy code programs
Utility support and state collaboration to meet regional climate change & emissions reduction goals
- Energy code compliance support
- Massachusetts PA assistance with adoption of more efficient building codes
  - Building code amendment process
- Electrification initiatives: buildings & electric vehicles (EVs)
Next steps for further growth

Brendan Giza-Sisson, Energy Efficiency Consultant, Eversource

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

3:00 – 3:45 p.m. :: Energy Code Performance Requirements & Electrification Trends in the West

National energy code and building electrification trends
Energy code requirements: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California, Hawaii
- Leaders vs. “laggards”
- Lighting power allowances
- Envelope U-values
- Sample thresholds
- Stringency markers in energy codes
Seattle’s goals to reduce energy use and GHG emissions from existing and new buildings
Utility programs related to for building energy management & code compliance (Seattle City Light)
Code and electrification considerations to reach carbon-neutral Seattle by 2050
Total building performance energy modeling
Compliance pathways
Designing codes that facilitate high-performance, results-oriented, integrated design
Building an effective city-utility collaboration

Duane Jonlin, Energy Code and Energy Conservation Advisor, City of Seattle

3:45 – 4:30 p.m. :: City of Boulder “Beyond Energy Codes”: Decarbonizing Buildings through Efficiency & Renewable Requirements

In 2017, the city of Boulder, Colorado implemented its own city-specific energy code with the goal of being stricter on emissions and easier for customers to use. The program has an ultimate goal to cut 80% emissions from commercial and residential buildings by 2050. This session will address:

Goals to decarbonizing Boulder buildings to meet city climate and energy goals
Regulatory mandates for high performance building strategy
- Building performance ordinance
- Net Zero Energy codes
- City of Boulder “Green Points” Program
City of Boulder Energy Conservation Code (2017) overview
- Increase efficiency requirements
- Residential vs. commercial
Renewable requirements for new buildings
- Solar ready requirements
- Electric vehicle charging stations
- Community solar
Xcel Energy’s related incentives & programs
- Retrocommissioning incentives
- community solar program
- energy prescriptive rebates

Elizabeth Vasatka, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Boulder – Climate Initiatives

4:30 – 5:15 p.m. :: Load Forecasting for Existing or Planned Energy Codes & Standards

This session will evaluate how utilities can conduct load forecasting by considering existing or planned energy codes and standards. It will present actual utility energy savings data from codes and standards programs, discussing how to translate this savings data into a load forecasting analysis, specific for a utility’s needs.

Allen Lee, Executive Director – Energy Services Division, Cadmus Group LLC

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. :: Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. :: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC): Building Decarbonization & Electrification Developments

California legislation considering building decarbonization
- AB 3232: Would require CEC to produce plans to make all buildings emission free by 2030
- SB 1477: Would create a Zero Emission Heating Market Transformation Fund at State Treasury
California state agencies acting on building decarbonization
- California Energy Commission (CEC)
- California Air Resources Board (CARB)
- Department of Communities Services and Development (CSD)
Current and future building decarbonization at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
- Current policy activity
  - Fuel switching vs. fuel substitution
  - Three prong test for use of energy efficiency funds
  - Integrated resource planning
- Future possible policy approaches
  - All electric tariff
  - Resource acquisition
  - Market transformation
  - Programs for all low income residents and disadvantaged communities

Rory Cox, Analyst – Energy Efficiency Branch, The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. :: Southern California Edison (SCE): Valuing Building-Grid Interactions & Facilitating Customer Choice

Southern California Edison update
- State energy code collaboration and compliance
- Building electrification initiatives
Building codes and appliance standards – their relationship to the electric grid
- Impacts to distribution grid
- Impacts to transmission grid
The GridOptimal Initiative
- Valuing building-grid interactions through a new rating system
- Harmonization of building design with grid interaction to reduce curtailment
Facilitating customer choice through codes and standards

Charles Kim, Senior Engineer, Southern California Edison (SCE)

9:30 – 10:00 a.m. :: Marin County: Encouraging “All-Electric Buildings” Through Building Codes

Marin County is just one of the local governments that recently adopted building codes encouraging all-electric buildings as a strategy to reduce GHG emissions in California. This session will discuss Marin’s progressive new building code, addressing:

Marin County Green Building Program
- Standards for compliance
- Provisions for providing a compliance pathway for all-electric buildings
- Energy efficiency updates to building requirements
Impacts of the “all-electric building” code provision in Marin County:
- Where and how it applies
- Implementing an “energy use” vs. “carbon content” approach
- Reducing fossil fuel use and emissions in western Marin County
How increased availability of renewable electricity in Marin County encouraged the all-electric building effort
Fuel-switching initiatives in Marin County
- Encouraging switch from natural gas to electric appliances

Alice Zanmiller, Sustainability Planner, Marin County’s Community Development Agency

10:00 – 10:15 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:15 – 11:45 a.m. :: Panel: Forging the Path for Decarbonized Buildings – Harmonizing Strategies for Building Electrification and Energy Codes

What is the optimal role of energy codes for buildings and appliances in the building decarbonization movement?
What is the future of renewable-oriented vs. efficiency-oriented building codes?
What should cities and states looking to implement energy codes to decarbonize buildings consider regarding different approaches?
- Efficiency-oriented
- Renewable-oriented
- Building electrification/ fuel-switching
Are fuel switching and fuel substitution mandates necessary to effectively decarbonize buildings?
How would the Legislation now before the California legislature accelerate the creation of a market for all-electric, zero-carbon homes?

Moderator:

Duane Jonlin, Energy Code and Energy Conservation Advisor, City of Seattle

Panelists:

Rory Cox, Analyst – Energy Efficiency Branch, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)

Charles Kim, Senior Engineer, Southern California Edison (SCE)

Alice Zanmiller, Sustainability Planner, Marin County’s Community Development Agency

Chris Meyer, Manager – Building Standards Office, Efficiency Division, California Energy Commission (CEC)

Speakers