Comment Log Display

Electrification: We understand that we must decarbonize our fuel
source in order to meet greenhouse gas emission goals.  In this
vein, it is recommended that ARB include additional measures to
support the decarbonization of our buildings when carbon pricing
itself will not be effective.  The new policy in Alternative 1 is
highly supported, but this option must be coupled with additional
actions to have the intended impact on the market.  While the
technology in the market is increasing, there is a need to make the
technology more accessible/affordable, less risky, and more
available.  In addition, the energy code and the CPUC rule set for
fuels switching prevent the electrification of existing homes. ARB
should evaluate the scenarios to ensure there are mechanisms to
support intended outcomes of carbon reduction. The actions should
support fuels switching in existing homes and all electric new
homes that will be leveraging a cleaner source of electricity under
the RPS.

Energy efficiency and co-benefits:  The scoping plan should
continue to set bold and aggressive targets for building standards
for existing buildings to meet the 50% increase in energy
efficiency called for in SB 350.  Accelerating the improvements on
these homes which provide a significant sources of GHGs will not
only allow California to meet our goal sooner, but address critical
health and environmental equity issues.   Please consider the
opportunity to set energy efficiency aggressive targets to address
our existing housing stock and include co-benefits in the model. 
The recent national survey completed by ORNL found that low income
households benefited not only from the reduced energy use in homes
from weatherization but also a wide array of health and wellbeing
improvement.  In the SB 350 barrier repot it is recommend that a
common set of NEB’s should be defined along with metric to measures
them and should be integral to delivery of energy services for low
income communities. 

Resiliency: Please consider the opportunity to include resilient
design measures for extreme heat and other anticipated climate
changes that will affect the most vulnerable populations. Our
current building model does not take into account these future
impacts and would not address the ability of a building to be
thermally comfortable in an extreme heat wave or increased
durations of heat waves, as an example. 

Thank you, 
Amy Dryden