San Jose, the third-largest city in California and the 10th largest in the US, adopted a very strong building electrification ordinance in September of 2019. San Joseās reach code is one of the best. It encourages all-electric construction by requiring any new building with gas to achieve higher energy-efficiency savings (Cal Green Tier 1 compliance) and be āelectrification ready.ā On top of their reach code, San Jose has passed a gas-free buildings ordinance requiring new low-rise residential buildings to be all-electric, and amended City policy to require all new municipal buildings to be all-electric.
All combined, San Jose’s various ordinances and policies make it one of the strongest cities on building electrification. The code also requires greater access to electric vehicle charging for new construction. San Jose is home to over a million people and a booming tech industry. A reach code here demonstrates the viability for electrification requirements in major metropolitan hubs across the state. On October 29th, San Jose further strengthened their electrification policy by prohibiting new gas hook-ups for new low-rise residential buildings and new municipal buildings.
