Energy: building standards: passive house standards.

Energy

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Ward
Last action: 2025-10-01
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 145, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide specific details on how much money will be saved over time by using passive house standards.

Building Standards for Energy Efficiency

This law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of passive house energy efficiency standards in California's climate zones, compare two models used for certification, and assess construction costs relative to existing methods.

What This Bill Does

Evaluates the cost-effectiveness of passive house energy efficiency standards by California climate zone using commission-adopted metrics such as long-term system cost.
Evaluates the use of the two passive house energy models currently required for certification in its analysis.
Compares the cost-effectiveness of passive house construction compared to existing construction methods.
Requires the commission to submit a report to the Legislature documenting findings and recommendations by July 1, 2028.

Who It Names or Affects

The State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission
Builders who follow new standards for energy efficiency

Terms To Know

Passive house: A type of building that uses special design to save a lot of energy without needing much heating or cooling.
Climate zone: An area with similar weather conditions, which affects how buildings are designed and built.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what the commission's findings will be.
It is unclear if or when new building standards will change based on this study.

Bill History

2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 145, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-16 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3104.).
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2616.).
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-10 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 7).
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on E., U & C.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1822.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-05-07 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-08 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
2025-04-07 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-04-03 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (April 2).
2025-03-13 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on U. & E. and NAT. RES.
2025-02-04 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 6.
2025-02-03 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 368, Ward.
Energy: building standards: passive house standards.
Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to prescribe, by regulation, lighting, insulation, climate control system, and other building design and construction standards, and energy and water conservation design standards, for new residential and new nonresidential buildings to reduce the wasteful, uneconomic, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy, as specified.
This bill would require the commission to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of passive house energy efficiency standards by California climate zone, using commission-adopted metrics such as long-term system cost. The bill would require the commission to evaluate the use of the 2 passive house energy models currently required for passive house certification in its analysis and the cost-effectiveness of passive house construction
compared to existing construction, as specified. The bill would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2028, to submit a report to the Legislature documenting its findings and recommendations.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF