San Bernardino County CalGreen Compliance
San Bernardino County CalGreen compliance is not as straightforward as it could be. The information on the county’s website is outdated raising questions when it comes to understanding what CalGreen measures are required.
The SBC Municipal Code has adopted the latest version of the CalGreen Code. When in doubt, you must review the actual California Green Building Standards Code, and not rely on the information on the county website.
In addition, the CalGreen Code frequently gets an Interim Update in between the three year cycles. If your thinking that keeping up with the CalGreen Code compliance is confusing, you’re not wrong!
To be fair, few jurisdictions in the state properly staff or support their local building department. They are the low-hanging fruit of the annual budget cuts. The low priority and low budget for building departments means their website’s don’t get updated and their online code compliance information is typically way out of date. For example the county’s current Commercial/NonResidential Plan Checklist is dated April, 2018, and is over seven years (and two code cycles) out of date as of this writing.
Fortunately, San Bernardino County CalGreen compliance does not include a Reach Code. A Reach Code is a local energy standard in California that goes beyond the state’s mandatory Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24). These local “reach codes” allow cities and counties to adopt more advanced energy efficiency and electrification requirements for new construction and renovations before the state code is updated.
What’s Different in SBC CalGreen Compliance?
While many jurisdictions in the state have amended, adopted, or Reach‘d additional CalGreen Code requirements, SBC has not.
To comply with the code in SBC you simply need to follow the latest version of the code, including any interim amendments. Amendments are created by the California Energy Commission and published on the Building Standards Commission website when they become effective.
The county’s current Residential Plan Requirements information form simply notes that California Green Building Standards Code compliance is required. There is no additional guidance.
The outdated Commercial/NonResidential Plan Checklist form, discussed above, makes no mention of the CalGreen Code. However, compliance is required as mandated by the current municipal code.
Which Checklist to Use?
The San Bernardino County Building Department does not publish a CalGreen Checklist for permit application. The county website refers to the checklist published by the AIA for both residential and nonresidential projects.
While the AIA checklists are free to download they must be edited for your project. This requires a detailed knowledge of the CalGreen Code to avoid over-committing your project.
If you are thinking that it might be wise to engage a Calgreen Code specialist to help with your CalGreen Checklist submittal in San Bernardino County, you’re probably right. The small cost for this service could help avoid costly shortfalls in your permit application and avoid change orders during construction.
CalGreen Inspections
While some jurisdictions require third party CalGreen inspections, SBC does not. The San Bernardino County building inspectors handle the Calgreen inspections. This simplifies the process and saves you the added cost and hassle of dealing with a third party inspector.
Residential and Commercial CalGreen Services
Our ICC certified CalGreen specialists can provide your San Bernardino County compliance checklist for your commercial and residential projects. Whether you’re building an ADU, a new home, or designing a large commercial project we can guide you through the process, while saving you money.
If you have a new nonresidential building over 10,000 square feet you must engage the services of a commissioning specialist. Commissioning is required by both the Green Building Standards Code and the California Energy Code. This code-required commissioning is a simpler, and less costly, process than AABC or LEED commissioning. We are very familiar with the commissioning requirements in SBC. Call us at hte number below for a proposal, or if you just have questions on the subject. You can also read our informative article on the subject here.
Call or email us today. We will provide a written proposal that includes your total cost and a specific delivery date for your permit plans. We have a two-day turnaround on CalGreen checklists for your building permit application.
At CalGreen Energy Services we are specialists in the CalGreen Code. CalGreen is our only business. If you have a CalGreen question, please feel free to give us a call. We are happy to share our knowledge.
Call us today and let us show you how we can help with your project.
Gary Welch
Email: gary@calgreenenergyservices.com
Phone: 707-328-5299
Gary Welch has over 35 years experience in the field of sustainable building design. He is the CEO of CalGreen Energy Services. Gary is an ICC Certified CalGreen Special Inspector and Plans Examiner.
