California Energy Commission staff are asking the commission to certify the 2025 Energy Code for residential buildings as meeting or exceeding the federal model code, according to the agency’s September business-meeting materials.
The backup packet says the code was adopted in August 2024 and took effect Jan. 1, 2026. It also cites a 2025 Energy Code Impact Analysis Report, made public Aug. 13, 2026, that estimates the standards would save about $4.8 billion in statewide energy costs and avoid 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over 30 years.
The item is tied to federal law that requires states to review residential energy codes after a U.S. Department of Energy determination and certify whether their rules meet or exceed the national model code. The materials say California’s certification deadline is Dec. 30, 2026.
The CEQA memorandum in the packet says the certification action is not a project because it is an administrative step that would not cause physical environmental changes. It adds that, even if reviewed under CEQA, the action would qualify for the statute’s common-sense exemption.
The materials available here do not show whether commissioners voted on the certification at the meeting or deferred action.
