101 General

101.1 Title

These regulations shall be known as the California Green Building Standards Code and may be cited as such and will be referred to herein as "this code." It is intended that it shall also be known as the CALGreen Code. The California Green Building Standards Code is Part 11 of thirteen parts of the official compilation and publication of the adoption, amendment and repeal of building regulations to the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, also referred to as the California Building Standards Code.

101.2 Purpose

The purpose of this code is to improve public health, safety and general welfare by enhancing the design and construction of buildings through the use of building concepts having a reduced negative impact or positive environmental impact and encouraging sustainable construction practices in the following categories:

1. Planning and design.
2. Energy efficiency.
3. Water efficiency and conservation.
4. Material conservation and resource efficiency.
5. Environmental quality.

101.3 Scope


The provisions of this code shall apply to the planning, design, operation, construction, use and occupancy of every newly constructed building or structure, unless otherwise indicated in this code, throughout the State of California.

It is not the intent that this code substitute or be identified as meeting the certification requirements of any green building program.


101.3.1 State-Regulated Buildings, Structures and Applications


Provisions of this code shall apply to the following buildings, structures and applications regulated by state agencies as specified in Sections 103 through 106, except where modified by local ordinance pursuant to Section 101.7. When adopted by a state agency, the provisions of this code shall be enforced by the appropriate enforcing agency, but only to the extent of authority granted to such agency by statute.

1. State-owned buildings, including buildings constructed by the Trustees of the California State University, and to the extent permitted by California law, buildings designed and constructed by the Regents of the University of California and regulated by the Building Standards Commission. See Section 103 for additional scoping provisions.
2. Energy efficiency standards regulated by the California Energy Commission.
3. All residential buildings constructed throughout the State of California, including but not limited to, hotels, motels, lodging houses, apartment houses, dwellings, dormitories, condominiums, shelters for homeless persons, congregate residences, employee housing, factory-built housing and other types of dwellings containing sleeping accommodations with or without common toilets or cooking facilities regulated by the Department of Housing and Community Development. See Section 104 for additional scoping provisions.
4. Public elementary and secondary schools, and community college buildings regulated by the Division of the State Architect. See Section 105 for additional scoping provisions.
5. Qualified historical buildings and structures and their associated sites regulated by the State Historical Building Safety Board within the Division of the State Architect.
6. General acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, skilled nursing and/or intermediate care facilities, clinics licensed by the Department of Public Health and correctional treatment centers regulated by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. See Section 106 for additional scoping provisions.
7. Graywater systems regulated by the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Housing and Community Development.
8. Green building standards for occupancies where no state agency has authority or expertise, adopted by the California Building Standards Commission. See Section 103 for additional scoping provisions.

101.4 Appendices

Provisions contained in the appendices of this code are not mandatory unless specifically adopted by a State agency or adopted by a city, county, or city and county in compliance with Health and Safety Code Sections 18930 and 18941.5, respectively, for Building Standards Law; Health and Safety Code Section 17950 for State Housing Law; and Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7 for Fire Protection Districts. See Section 101.7 of this code.

101.5 Referenced Codes and Standards

The codes and standards referenced elsewhere in this code shall be considered part of the requirements of this code to the prescribed extent of each such reference.

101.5.1 Building

The provisions of the California Building Code, California Residential Code, and California Existing Building Code, as applicable, shall apply to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal and demolition of every structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures.

101.5.2 Electrical

The provisions of the California Electrical Code shall apply to the installation of electrical systems, including but not limited to, alterations, repair, replacement, equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings and appurtenances thereto.

101.5.3 Mechanical

The provisions of the California Mechanical Code shall apply to the installation, alterations, repair and replacement of mechanical systems, including equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings and/or appurtenances, including ventilating, heating, cooling, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems, incinerators and other energy-related systems.

101.5.4 Plumbing

The provisions of the California Plumbing Code shall apply to the installation, alteration, repair and replacement of plumbing systems, including equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings and appurtenances where connected to a water or sewage system.

101.5.5 Fire Prevention

The provisions of CCR, Title 19, Division 1 and CCR, Title 24, Part 2 and Part 9 relating to fire and panic safety as adopted by the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall apply to all structures, processes and premises for protection from the hazard of fire, panic and explosion.

101.5.6 Energy

The provisions of the California Energy Code shall apply to the minimum design and construction of buildings for energy efficiency.

101.6 Order of Precedence and Use



101.6.1 Differences

In the event of any differences between these building standards and the standard reference documents, the text of these building standards shall govern. In the event a local amendment to this code results in differences between these building standards and the amendment, the text of the amendment shall govern.

101.6.2 Specific Provision

Where a specific provision varies from a general provision, the specific provision shall apply.

101.6.3 Conflicts

When the requirements of this code conflict with the requirements of any other part of the California Building Standards Code, Title 24, the most restrictive requirement shall prevail.

101.6.4 Explanatory Notes

Explanatory material, such as references to websites or other sources where additional information may be found, is included in this code in the form of notes. Notes are informational only and are not enforceable requirements of this code.

101.7 City, County, or City and County Amendments, Additions or Deletions


This code is intended to set mandatory minimum Green Building Standards and includes optional tiers that may, at the discretion of any city, county, or city and county, be applied.

This code does not limit the authority of city, county, or city and county governments to make necessary changes to the provisions contained in this code pursuant to Section 101.7.1. The effective date of amendments, additions, or deletions to this code for cities, counties, or cities and counties filed pursuant to Section 101.7.1 shall be the date on which it is filed. However, in no case shall the amendments, additions or deletions to this code be effective any sooner than the effective date of this code.

Local modifications shall comply with Health and Safety Code Section 18941.5(b) for Building Standards Law, Health and Safety Code Section 17958.5 for State Housing Law or Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7 for Fire Protection Districts.


101.7.1 Findings and Filings

1. The city, county, or city and county shall make express findings for each amendment, addition or deletion based upon climatic, topographical or geological conditions. For the purpose of this section, climatic, topographical or geological conditions include local environmental conditions as established by the city, county, or city and county.
2. The city, county, or city and county shall file the amendments, additions or deletions expressly marked and identified as to the applicable findings. Cities, counties, cities and counties, and fire departments shall file the amendments, additions or deletions and the findings with the California Building Standards Commission at 2525 Natomas Park Drive, Suite 130, Sacramento, CA 95833.
3. Findings prepared by fire protection districts shall be ratified by the local city, county, or city and county and filed with the California Department of Housing and Community Development at 2020 West El Camino Avenue, Suite 250, Sacramento, CA 95833-1829.
4. The city, county, or city and county shall obtain California Energy Commission approval for any energy-related ordinances consistent with Public Resources Code Section 25402.1(h)(2) and Title 24, Part 1, Section 10-106. Local governmental agencies may adopt and enforce energy standards for newly constructed buildings, additions, alterations and repairs, provided the California Energy Commission finds that the standards will require buildings to be designed to consume no more energy than permitted by Part 6. Such local standards include, but are not limited to, adopting the requirements of Part 6 before their effective date, requiring additional energy conservation measures, or setting more stringent energy budgets.

101.8 Alternate Materials, Designs and Methods of Construction


The provisions of this code are not intended to prevent the use of any alternate material, appliance, installation, device, arrangement, method, design or method of construction not specifically prescribed by this code, provided that any such alternative has been approved. An alternate shall be approved on a case-by-case basis where the enforcing agency finds that the proposed alternate is satisfactory and complies with the intent of the provisions of this code and is at least the equivalent of that prescribed in this code in planning and design, energy, water, material conservation and resource efficiency, environmental air quality, performance, safety and the protection of life and health. Consideration and compliance provisions for occupancies regulated by adopting state agencies are found in the sections listed below.

1. Section 1.2.2 in the California Building Code (CBC) for the California Building Standards Commission.
2. Section 104.11 of Chapter 1, Division II for the Division of the State Architect.
3. Section 1.8.7, Chapter 1, Administration, Division 1, of the 2016 California Building Code and Section 1.2.6, Chapter 1, Administration, Division 1, of the 2016 California Residential Code for the Department of Housing and Community Development.
4. Section 7-104, 2013 California Administrative Code for the Office of the Statewide Health Planning and Development.

101.9 Effective Date of This Code

Only those standards approved by the California Building Standards Commission that are effective at the time an application for a building permit is submitted shall apply to the plans and specifications for, and to the construction performed under, that permit. For the effective dates of the provisions contained in this code, see the appropriate application checklist and the History Note page of this code.

101.10 Mandatory Requirements

This code contains both mandatory and voluntary green building measures. Mandatory and voluntary measures are identified in the appropriate application checklist contained in this code.

101.11 Effective Use of This Code


The following steps shall be used to establish which provisions of this code are applicable to a specific occupancy:

1. Establish the type of occupancy.
2. Verify which state agency has authority for the established occupancy by reviewing the authorities list in Sections 103 through 106.
3. Once the appropriate agency has been identified, find the chapter which covers the established occupancy.
4. The Matrix Adoption Tables at the beginning of Chapters 4 and 5 identify the mandatory green building measures necessary to meet the minimum requirements of this code for the established occupancy.
5. Voluntary tier measures are contained in Appendix Chapters A4 and A5. A checklist containing each green building measure, both required and voluntary, is provided at the end of each appendix chapter. Each measure listed in the application checklist has a section number which correlates to a section where more information about the specific measure is available.
6. The application checklist identifies which measures are required by this code and allows users to check off which voluntary items have been selected to meet voluntary tier levels if desired or mandated by a city, county, or city and county.

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