Measure Identification
How are Code Change Proposals Selected?
At the beginning of each three-year cycle, the Statewide CASE Team identifies potential code change ideas and uses a systematic approach to select proposals that the Statewide CASE Team will support for the code cycle. Proposals ideas are sourced from ideas collected in previous code cycles and conversations with stakeholders including industry experts. Anybody is also welcome to submit a code change idea to us using our code change proposal form.
As of April 2025, the Statewide CASE Team has collected approximately 300 code change proposal ideas. Both the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the Statewide CASE Team have limited capacity and cannot pursue more than 50 to 100 unique code change proposals per code cycle. The Statewide CASE Team uses a systematic approach to select which proposals it will develop and bring to the CEC for consideration. Visit T24 Part 6 2028 Proposals Under Consideration for a list of proposals currently under consideration for T24 Part 6 2028.
The process the Statewide CASE Team is using to select proposals for the 2028 code cycle is described below.
Establish Evaluation Criteria
The first step in the proposal selection process is to identify the evaluation criteria that will be used throughout the selection process. The Statewide CASE Team developed the criteria and refined in consultation with the CEC. The evaluation criteria for the 2028 code cycle are presented within the Initial Screening and Prioritization steps below.
Initial Screening
Every code change proposal that is identified goes through initial screening to determine if the proposal is feasible to pursue for the 2028 code cycle. Each proposal is evaluated relative to the criteria identified below. Based on information collected during the initial screening stage, utility team staff determine if a proposal idea should proceed to the prioritization stage.
Initial Screening Criteria
A proposal idea is unlikely to proceed past initial screening if there are likely insurmountable preemption barriers.
This question confirms that the CEC has authority to adopt the proposed code change into Title 24, Part 6. Proposal ideas that are not within scope for Title 24, Part 6 are unlikely to proceed beyond initial screening.
Code change proposals in the Statewide CASE Team’s portfolio should require modifications to Part 1 of Title 24, Part 6 of Title 24 including the reference appendices, or The Alternative Calculation Method (ACM) Approval Manual.
It should be feasible to achieve high compliance with the proposed code change. If there are significant compliance barriers, a proposal idea is unlikely to proceed past initial screening.
Supporting a code change proposal through the adoption process requires reliable data on costs, benefits, and impacts. If reliable data does not exist already, the Statewide CASE Team would like assurance that data will be available in time for the proposal to be considered for the upcoming code cycle.
Proposal Prioritization
Proposals that pass initial screening go through the prioritization process. The goal is to look at each proposal holistically to understand the potential impacts of the code change and whether the design solution is ready to be considered for code. During the prioritization stage, the CASE Team calculates preliminary energy savings and GHG reductions from each proposal idea. The Team also evaluates the proposal relative to the prioritization evaluation criteria described below. Once data is entered for each evaluation criterion, the Statewide CASE Team meets with CEC staff to discuss each idea. CEC staff have an opportunity to review the proposal ideas and offer feedback on how proposals have been evaluated relative to the set criteria.
Prioritization Criteria
- Cost-effectiveness: How likely is the measure to be cost effective within Title 24 cost-effectiveness frameworks?
- Technical Feasibility: How feasible is the measure in terms of technical barriers?
- Market Readiness: How feasible is the measure in terms of market barriers?
- Code Compliance and Enforceability: How easy would it be to achieve high compliance for this measure?
- Compliance: can the market actor (code user) comply with the measure requirements?
- Enforcement: how will the building department/ATT/Rater verify the measure is in compliance?
- Ability to Adopt: How likely is it that the measure will be adopted based on data availability and stakeholder positions?
- Environmental and Social Justice Benefits: Are there benefits for Environmental and Social Justice (ESJ) communities* that go beyond the societal benefits of energy and GHG savings.
- Other Benefits or Strategic Value: Are there any other benefits or strategic value that are not captured by other prioritization criteria including water benefits, grid benefits, and other non-energy benefits not already captured.
- Electricity Savings
- Natural Gas Savings
- GHG Savings
*Per CPUC’s ESJ Action Plan, ESJ communities are “predominantly communities of color or low-income communities that are underrepresented in the policy setting or decision-making process, subject to a disproportionate impact from one or more environmental hazards, and are likely to experience disparate implementation of environmental regulations and socioeconomic investments in their communities. … These communities have been subjected to disproportionate impacts from one or more environmental hazards, socioeconomic burdens, or both.”
Proposal Selection
Taking information from the prioritization exercise into account, the utility staff make the final decisions on which code change proposals the CASE Team will pursue for the 2028 code cycle. When making decisions about which proposals to support for the 2028 code cycle, the utility staff are looking to create a well–balanced portfolio of proposal ideas. The utility team is considering the following to create a well-balanced portfolio:
- Energy savings and GHG emissions reductions achieved this cycle and potential for future code cycles
- Load management to support grid reliability
- Distribution of proposals across building types and system types
- Balance of contentious and non-contentious topics
- Code compliance improvement
- Enabling savings to persist over time
- Support of related policies that aim to improve energy performance of the entire building sector (e.g., enable effective benchmarking and building performance standards)
- Energy equity
- Interactions with CALGreen and local reach codes
Last updated 4/16/2025
Summary of Code Change Proposal Ideas for 2028 Code Cycle
2028 Code Change Proposals by Building Type
2028 code change proposals are currently being accepted. Proposals cover new construction, additions, and alterations in the nonresidential, multifamily, and single family sectors. Proposal system types include building envelope, HVAC, domestic hot water, lighting, electricity generation, energy storage, load management, industrial processes, existing buildings, and others.
2028 Code Change Proposals by System Type
The following charts track code change proposal categories by system type. To learn more about the measure selection process, visit T24 Part 6 2028 Measure Identification.
Nonresidential Code Change Proposals by System Type
Multifamily Code Change Proposals by System Type
Single Family Code Change Proposals by System Type
A covered process describes production equipment or systems in a structure subject to Title 24, Part 6 requirements. A covered process is typically not related to space conditioning, lighting, or service water heating. Examples of a covered process include computer rooms, compressed air systems, foodservice, some aspects of horticulture or industrial processes, as well as many other activities.
Multiple implies a code change proposal which encompasses multiple categories: HVAC, Covered Processes, DWH, Envelope, Lighting, Load Shifting, Generation, and Storage. For example, this might include a proposal to add a trigger for alterations based on building age or date of last alteration, or reducing embodied carbon in buildings by substituting traditional building materials with low carbon versions or reducing amount of materials needed.
Other refers to measures that are not included in HVAC, Covered Processes, DWH, Envelope, Lighting, Load Shifting, Multiple, Generation, or Storage.
2028 Code Change Proposals: Building and System Type Percentages
Code Change Proposals by Building Type
Code Change Proposals by System Type
Nonresidential Code Change Proposals
Multifamily Code Change Proposals
Single Family Code Change Proposals
Get Email Updates
The Statewide Codes and Standards Enhancement (CASE) Team periodically distributes email notifications that promote upcoming meetings, provide materials from past meetings, and update stakeholders on the progression of the California Energy Commission (CEC)’s rulemaking process. You can choose to receive measure-specific and/or general updates on these topics depending on your needs.
