BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1574
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 23, 2001
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND COMMERCE
Roderick D. Wright, Chair
AB 1574 (Lowenthal) - As Amended: April 16, 2001
SUBJECT : Energy conservation: building standards.
SUMMARY : Requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to
adopt emergency regulations, within 240 days, for new
nonresidential buildings, for which building permits are issued
after the effective date of this measure. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Requires CEC, with 240 days of the effective date of this
measure, to adopt emergency regulations which require higher
insulation levels for walls, ceilings, and floors and space
conditioning duct systems for new nonresidential buildings,
for which building permits are issued after the effective date
of this measure.
2)Provides that if, at the time a single family residential
dwelling is sold, a buyer or seller requests an inspection,
that inspection shall include an inspection of the energy
efficiency of the dwelling.
3)Requires the inspector to provide the results of the
inspection to the buyer and seller.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides that CEC shall prescribe by regulation measures to
reduce wasteful consumption of energy by new residential and
new nonresidential buildings.
2)Requires CEC to establish criteria for adopting a statewide
home energy rating program for residential dwellings.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown.
COMMENTS :
Energy Efficiency Improvements
According to CEC, residential and commercial buildings account
AB 1574
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for over 65% of all state electrical energy use and over 52% of
all natural gas use. Although there are existing standards for
new construction, which are periodically updated, those
standards were initially drafted in 1978. According to the
sponsor, approximately 5.3 million single-family homes have
little to no insulation or other efficiency improvements.
Estimates from the Department of Finance for year 2000 show
approximately 8 million existing single family homes have been
built and approximately 7 million square feet of commercial
space is in the marketplace. New construction of residential
and commercial buildings only accounts for 2% of the total
building stock, leaving 98% with little or no efficiency
measures. The sponsor of this measure notes that both
residential and commercial building sectors represent enormous
savings potential and should be targeted for efficiency
improvements. Estimates of the energy savings potential for
increasing efficiency measures in existing residential and
commercial buildings are 20 times greater than comparable
savings achieved by CEC's recently approved efficiency revisions
for new buildings. This bill requires CEC with 240 days of the
effective date of this measure, to adopt emergency regulations
which require higher insulation levels for walls, ceilings, and
floors and space conditioning duct systems for new
nonresidential buildings for which building permits are issued
after the effective date of this bill.
Inspections of Single-Family Homes
Current law requires CEC to develop a statewide program for
third party assessment of cost effective efficiency measures for
the home. CEC has established such a program and incorporated
certification requirements into its regulations. This bill
provides that if, at the time a single family residential
dwelling is sold, a buyer or seller requests an inspection, that
inspection shall include an inspection of the energy efficiency
of the dwelling. The inspector would be required under this
bill to provide the results of the inspection to the buyer and
seller.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Owens-Corning
AB 1574
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North American Insulation Manufacturers Association
CertainTeed
Insulcom Contractors, Inc.
Tri-County Insulation & Acoustical Contractors
West Coast Protective League
Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers International
Union
Johns Manville Corporation
Knauf Fiber Glass
American Plastics Council
Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association
Natural Resources Defense Council
The Hill Companies, Inc.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Joseph Lyons / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083