Multifamily Restructuring

Proposal Description

This CASE Report presents justifications for restructuring codes in 2022 Title 24, Part 6 governing multifamily buildings by reducing differences in envelope and HVAC requirements between multifamily buildings up to three habitable stories and multifamily buildings of four or more habitable stories.

These proposed code changes simplify code structure and requirements, streamline compliance and enforcement, and continue the 2022 multifamily restructuring effort, under which there was creation of new multifamily-specific chapters. The new chapters:

• Simplified compliance and enforcement by consolidating requirements for multifamily dwelling unit and common use areas.
• Improved equity across multifamily building types, regardless of number of stories.
• Established a platform from which the Energy Commission, Statewide CASE Team, and other stakeholders can investigate energy efficiency solutions unique to multifamily buildings and distinct from single family and nonresidential buildings.

More specifically, the code change proposals in this report would:

• Eliminate eight instances of differentiation in requirements between buildings of three or fewer habitable stories and buildings of four or more habitable stories. These changes reduce code complexity for streamlined compliance. These proposed changes would result in language and requirement simplification:
  • Remove 16 instances of “three or fewer habitable stories” and “four or more habitable stories.”
  • Remove two rows from tables in the multifamily chapters.
• Remove generic references to requirements outside of the multifamily chapters.
• Improve consistency in the structure and outline of the three multifamily chapters for ease of navigation and clarity of requirements.

Depending on climate zone, energy savings result from slab perimeter insulation, quality insulation installation, and central ventilation shaft sealing in new construction. No savings are associated with visible transmittance, skylight properties, or verification cleanup.

Relevant Documents

CASE Report

• Final CASE Report – Multifamily Restructuring (UPDATE: CASE Report was revised October 2023)
• Draft CASE Report – Multifamily Restructuring

Round Two Utility-Sponsored Stakeholder Meeting Materials

• Proposal Summary – Multifamily Restructuring, Envelope & HVAC (May 22, 2023)
• Proposal Summary – Multifamily Restructuring, Snapshot QII (Apr. 25, 2023)
• Proposal Summary – Multifamily Restructuring, Verification Clean-Up (Apr. 25, 2023)
• Presentation – Multifamily Restructuring, Verification Clean-Up (May 22, 2023)
• May 22, 2023 Meeting Notes

Round One Utility-Sponsored Stakeholder Meeting Materials

• Stakeholder Meetings Introduction
• Multifamily Restructuring – Snapshot QII – Presentation (Feb. 14, 2023)
• Multifamily Restructuring – Snapshot QII – Proposal Summary (Feb. 3, 2023)
• February 14, 2023 Meeting Notes
• Multifamily Restructuring: Envelope & HVAC – Presentation (Feb. 21, 2023)
• Multifamily Restructuring: Envelope & HVAC – Proposal Summary (Feb. 15, 2023)
• February 21, 2023 Meeting Notes