California Joins National Coalition of States and Local Governments Strengthening Building Performance Standards

California Energy Commission: On December 7, 2022, California officials announced the state has joined the National Building Performance Standards Coalition, a White House-led initiative to accelerate building performance standards across the country. President Joe Biden launched the coalition in January, establishing a partnership of more than 30 state and local governments that will share results and best practices for delivering cleaner, healthier, and more affordable buildings while creating jobs, lowering costs, and prioritizing frontline communities.

The announcement was made during a White House press call to unveil the first-ever Federal Building Performance Standard, which will cut energy use and electrify equipment and appliances in 30 percent of the country’s 300,000 existing federal buildings by 2030. 

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Despite its complexities, block-level decommissioning is likely more effective than an individual, house-by-house approach, offering untapped economies of scale that can be replicated across California. Dr. Therese Peffer provides insight into the challenges of pruning gas at the neighborhood block scale and its implications for the Oakland EcoBlock project.