Your lawyers since 1722

92,478 inhabitants
Coastal mediterranean climate

Existing / Planned Regulations & Roadmaps

Energy Reach Code enforced since 2017, requires all new residential buildings (1-3 stories) to be designed to use 15% less energy than the allowed energy budget established by the 2016 California Energy Code (Title 24), and use solar photovoltaics to achieve an Energy Design Rating (EDR) of Zero, achieving net zero energy
Exploring the feasibility of reduction and elimination of fossil fuels in new construction
Founding member of the Clean Power Alliance of Southern California
Goal to deliver up to 100% carbon free power to all utility customers by 2030
Over the next seven years existing buildings will be required to benchmark energy usage and participate in a performance pathway to achieve energy/carbon savings
Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (2019) to highlight the policies and programs to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings
Sustainable Retrofit Accelerator to support property-owners participating in green building activities
Solar Santa Monica program which provides technical assistance to property owners (residential and commercial) seeking to install solar, energy storage and electric vehicle charging stations

Municipal Buildings

100% carbon-free electricity supply
Administrative Instruction requires City projects to meet: LEED v4 Gold certification, Net-Zero Energy Building Certification from the International Living Future Institute, and zero potable water may be used for non-potable end uses in the building
City will develop a long range plan and capital investment strategy to increase building energy efficiency and eliminate fossil fuel based systems
For fossil fuel use that cannot be eliminated, the City will procure carbon offsets
Municipal Operations Sustainability Report evaluated performance goals based on seven metrics, including energy demand and carbon emissions
Plans to switch out natural gas equipment used for heating buildings and domestic hot water to electric heat pumps which are more efficient and utilise the utility grid’s 100% renewable power
By 2021, Santa Monica City Hall will be fossil fuel free

Further information

2016 Santa Monica Municipal Operations Sustainability Report
Santa Monica Energy Reach Code