SR-400-005-05-01
Council Meeting: September 11, 2001 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance Amending Chapter
8.108 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code Relating to Building
Energy Performance
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that City Council introduce for first reading an amended
Green Building Ordinance that will apply to building energy performance in new
and renovated commercial and multi-family residential construction in the City.
BACKGROUND
On December 15, 2000, City Council approved a Green Building Ordinance that
requires building permit applicants to significantly reduce non-renewable energy
consumption below 1998 State Title 24 energy efficiency standards. The
ordinance set the following performance standards for the indicated building
types:
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25 percent below 1998 Title 24 standards for hotels and motels, office
buildings, municipal buildings, and light industrial buildings;
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20 percent below 1998 Title 24 standards for multi-family residential and
retail buildings.
The energy performance standards apply to new construction of commercial and
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multi-family residential buildings and for existing commercial and multi-family
buildings for which repair, alternation or rehabilitation costs exceed 50 percent
of their replacement cost.
Several months after adoption of the City’s Green Building Ordinance, the State
Legislature enacted AB 970 in response to the looming energy crisis. AB 970
required the California Energy Commission to strengthen Title 24 standards
within 90 days. The Commission responded with a set of significantly
strengthened energy performance standards for new commercial and residential
construction that will be phased in over the next year.
DISCUSSION
City staff asked Constructive Technologies Group (CTG), the energy consulting
firm that participated in the development of the City’s energy performance
standards, to reevaluate the computer energy models of the prototypical Santa
Monica buildings used to establish the City’s building energy performance
standards. CTG compared the adopted energy performance targets using 1998
Title 24 standards to the strengthened 2001 Title 24 standards to determine if
the City’s standards were achievable and cost-effective. Cost-effective has been
defined as those practices that do not result in average total cumulative cost
impact on new development of more than 3 percent of total project construction
costs or more than a five-year simple interest payback based on projected
energy and other operating cost savings for the building.
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CTG evaluated the impact of the revised 2001 Title 24 standards on the City’s
building energy performance standards and recommended that the City amend
its building energy performance standards as follows.
Comparison of Proposed Energy Performance Standards
(% Below Standards)
Occupancy Type Performance Standard Performance Standard
Based on 1998 Title-24 Based on 2001 Title-24
Multi-family Residential 20% 10%
(3 or less habitable
stories)
Hotels and Motels 25% 15%
Commercial and 25% 15%
Institutional Offices
Light Industrial 25% 15%
Retail 20% 10%
Attachment 1 summarizes the results of CTG’s analysis. California Energy
Commission approval is required before any proposed changes to Title 24 can
be implemented. The City’s proposed energy performance standards are
currently scheduled on the Commission’s September 19th Business Meeting
agenda. Staff has had preliminary discussions with the California Energy
Commission that lead us to believe there are no issues preventing the approval
of the City’s proposed standards and that, therefore, Council adoption is merely
a formality. Due to the urgency of the need for energy efficiency within the
community, it would not be prudent to delay Council action in anticipation of the
Commission’s decision. Upon adoption of the amended ordinance, promotional
and outreach materials will be updated to reflect the revised standards.
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BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of the amended Green Building Ordinance has no budget or financial
impact.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council introduce for first reading an amended
Green Building Ordinance.
Prepared by: Craig Perkins, Director of Environmental and Public Works
Management Department
Suzanne Frick, Director of Planning and Community Development
Barry Rosenbaum, Senior Land Use Attorney
Tim McCormick, Building Officer
Susan Munves, Energy and Green Building Programs Coordinator
Attachment1: Evaluation of Green Building Ordinance for 2001 Title 24 Updates
Attachment 2: Proposed Amended Green Building Ordinance
Attachment 3: Resolution
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City of Santa Monica - Evaluation of Energy Efficiency Ordinances for 2001 Title-24 Updates
Projected Annual Projected Annual
Energy Energy Cost Incremental Energy Energy Cost Incremental Recommended
Savings Savings over Cost/sf over Payback Savings Savings over Cost/sf over Payback Energy Performance
EnergyPro over 1998 1998 Title-24 1998 T-24 over 1998 over 2001 2001 Title-24 2001 T-24 over 2001 Target Beyond 2001
File Name Title-24 ($/sf) ($/sf) T-24 (Yrs) Title-24 ($/sf) ($/sf) T-24 (Yrs) Title-24
Of.bld Office - Sample 1 42% $ 1.64 $ 0.28 0.17 26% $ 0.79 $0.00 -
Office - s2.bld Office - Sample 2 28% $ 0.82 $ 1.47 1.79 18% $ 0.33 $ 0.56 1.73 20%
Large Office -
Sample 3.bld Office - Sample 3 31% $ 0.99 $ 1.89 1.90 23% $ 0.78 $ 1.39 1.79
Hotel.bld Hotel 38% $ 1.37 $ 1.11 0.81 27% $ 0.81 $ 0.44 0.53 15%
LI-n.bld Industrial - Sample 1 44% $ 1.80 $ 2.91 1.62 31% $ 1.08 $ 1.96 1.82 15%
Industrial
Building -
Sample2.bld Industrial - Sample 2 19% $ 0.72 $ 1.07 1.49 5% $ 0.12 $ 0.28 2.41
Rt.bld Retail - Sample 1 37% $ 1.85 $ 1.70 0.92 33% $ 1.54 $ 1.07 0.69 15%
Retail -
Sample 2.bld Retail - Sample 2 26% $ 0.71 $ 3.02 4.22 19% $ 0.44 $ 1.75 3.97
Low Rise
Residential.bld Lowrise Res - Sample 1 53% $ 0.40 $ 1.86 4.66 55% $ 0.42 $ 1.64 3.89 15%
LowRise Res -
Sample-2.bld Lowrise Res - Sample 2 30% $ 0.16 $ 0.94 5.76 33% $ 0.18 $ 0.71 3.90
High Rise
Residential.bld Highrise Res - Sample 1 23% $ 0.23 $ 1.47 6.53 12% $ 0.09 $ 0.49 5.62 10%
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Highrise Res -
Sample-2.bld Highrise Res - Sample 2 18% $ 0.14 $ 1.45 10.29 15% $ 0.11 $ 0.82 7.21
Samples 1, 2, and 3 represent prototypical buildings used to calculate building energy performance.
Residential Energy Rates
$0.14 per kWh
$0.75 per therm
Commercial Energy Rates:
$0.28 per kWh
$0.75 per therm
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City Council Meeting: September 11, 2001 Santa Monica,
California
ORDINANCE NUMBER ______(CCS)
(City Council Series)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
AMENDING SECTIONS 8.108.030 AND 8.108.040 OF
THE SANTA MONICA MUNICIPAL CODE
WHICH ADOPTS SANTA MONICA AMENDMENTS
TO THE CALIFORNIA BUILDING STANDARDS CODE
RELATING TO GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS
WHEREAS, on June 8, 1999, the City Council adopted Ordinance Number 1945
(CCS), which adopts the California Building Standards Code, Santa Monica
amendments to the California Building Standards Code; and other technical codes; and
WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Sections 18938 and 17958 provides that
the California Building Standards Code establishes building standards for all
occupancies throughout the State; and
WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Section 18941.5 provides that the City may
establish more restrictive building standards if they are reasonably necessary due to
local climatic, geological or topographical conditions; and
WHEREAS, on December 15, 2000, the City Council adopted Ordinance
Number 1995 (CCS) which, inn part, required building permit applicants of new and
renovated commercial and multi-family residential construction to significantly reduce
non-renewable energy consumption below 1998 State Title 24 energy efficiency
standards; and
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WHEREAS, after the City’s adoption of Ordinance 1995 (CCS), in response to
California’s current energy crisis, the State Legislature enacted AB 970, which required
the California Energy Commission to strengthen Title 24 standards; and
WHEREAS, the Energy Commission subsequently adopted a set of significantly
strengthened energy performance standards for new commercial and residential
construction; and
WHEREAS, in light of these changes in State law, the City has reevaluated the
computer energy models of the prototypical Santa Monica buildings used to establish
the City’s building energy performance standards to determine the appropriate required
reductions in allowable energy budgets established by local law: and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendments in this ordinance reflect the results of the
City’s reevaluation of the computer energy models and
WHEREAS, additional clarifications to Ordinance Number 1995 (CCS) are also
appropriate: and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered the 1998 edition of the California
Building Standards Code, which incorporates by reference the 1996-1997 editions of
the Technical Codes, and all of the referenced standards, tables, matrices and
appendices of each of these codes therein; and
WHEREAS, based upon the findings contained in the Resolution adopted
concurrently with this Ordinance, the City Council has found that certain modifications
and additions to the California Building Standards Code are reasonably necessary
based upon local climatic, topographical and geological conditions; and
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WHEREAS, Public Resource Code Section 25402.1(h)(2) says that a local
enforcement agency may adopt more restrictive energy standards when they are cost-
effective and approved by the Energy Commission; and
WHEREAS, the City hired a private consultant to conduct a cost study of the
proposed changes and said study demonstrated the cost effectiveness of these
changes; and
WHEREAS, the State Energy Commission is set to review the proposed
standards on September 19, 2001, and staff reasonably expects that the State Energy
Commission will approve the recommended changes;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 8.108.030 and Section 8.108.040 of the Santa Monica
Municipal Code are hereby amended to read as follows:
8.108.030 Compliance Methods.
(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this Section, the envelope,
space-conditioning, lighting and service water-heating systems of all buildings subject
to the provisions of this chapter shall be designed, constructed and installed to use no
more source energy from non-renewable sources than the allowable energy budget
calculated in accordance with the performance approach set forth in Chapter 8.36 and
reduced in accordance with Section 8.108.040.
(b) Multi-family residential buildings that have are three or less habitable stories
or less in height may use the prescriptive approach set forth in Chapter 8.36 for the
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envelope, space-conditioning, lighting and service water-heating systems if these
buildings also meet the following requirements:
(1) all windows and glass patio doors are equipped with double glazed, low
emissivity glazing, with center of glass U value not more than 0.32 Btu/(hr.sq.ft. deg.
F.), and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient not more than 0.37;
(2) fixed lighting fixtures installed within the dwelling units have a combined
average efficacy of not less than 40 lumens per watt;
(3) water heaters have a minimum energy factor of 0.60; and
(4) space cooling appliances (if installed) have a Thermostatic Expansion Valve,
or a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of not less than 12.
(c) When building designs, materials or devices cannot be adequately modeled
by the performance approach, alternate calculation methods may be used when
approved by the California Energy Commission pursuant to their administrative
regulations for exceptional methods.
8.108.040 Reductions in Allowable Energy Budgets.
Allowable energy budgets shall be the allowable energy budget determined in
accordance with Chapter 8.36 and reduced by the following factors for the occupancy
types shown in Table 8.108-A. Required reduction factors for occupancies not shown in
Table 108-A shall be determined by the Building Officer for the most similar energy
consuming use.
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Table 8.108-A
Required Reduction Factors
for Allowable Energy Budgets
Multi-family Residences 20 10%
Hotels and Motels 25 15%
Commercial and Institutional 25 15%
Offices
Light Industrial 25 15%
Retail 20 15%
When determining compliance with the percentage reduction, alternate
calculation methods that consider energy savings in addition to those recognized in
Chapter 8.36 may be used when approved by the Building Officer. These savings may
include, but are not limited to, efficiency of fan systems with motors less than twenty-
five horsepower and garage ventilation controls.
SECTION 2. Any provision of the Santa Monica Municipal Code or appendices
thereto, inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such
inconsistencies and no further, are hereby repealed or modified to that extent
necessary to effect the provisions of this Ordinance.
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SECTION 3. If any Section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this
Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any
court of any competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would
have passed this Ordinance, and each and every Section, subsection, sentence,
clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any
portion of the Ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 4. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall attest to the passage
of this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall cause this ordinance, or a summary thereof to
be published once in the official newspaper within 15 days after its adoption. This
Ordinance shall be effective immediately.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________
MARSHA JONES MOUTRIE
City Attorney
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