BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1092
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 15, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 1092 (Levine) - As Amended: April 8, 2013
SUBJECT : Building standards for electric vehicle charging
infrastructure
SUMMARY : Requires the California Building Standards Commission
(CBSC) and the Department of Housing and Community Development
(HCD), as a part of the next triennial edition of the California
Building Standards Code adopted after January 1, 2014, to adopt
mandatory building standards for the installation of future
electric vehicle charging infrastructure for parking spaces in
multifamily dwellings and nonresidential development.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides for the adoption of building standards by state
agencies by requiring all state agencies that adopt or propose
adoption of any building standard to submit the building
standard to CBSC for approval and adoption. In the absence of
a designated state agency, CBSC is required to adopt specific
building standards, as prescribed.
2)Requires CBSC to publish, or cause to be published, editions
of the California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen
Code) in its entirety once every three years. The CALGreen
Code is a part of the California Code of Regulations, also
referred to as the California Building Standards Code.
3)Pursuant to the CALGreen Code, establishes voluntary standards
for the installation of electric vehicle charging
infrastructure in multifamily dwellings for at least 3% of the
total parking spaces be capable of supporting future electric
vehicle supply equipment. Further, for non-residential
development, establishes voluntary standards for at least 10%
of total spaces to be designated for parking for low-emitting,
fuel-efficient, and carpool/vanpool vehicles, including
electric vehicles.
4)Requires HCD to propose, adopt, amend or repeal building
standards to CBSC for residential buildings including, hotels,
motels, lodging houses, apartment houses, dwellings, buildings
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and structures.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Governor Brown's Executive Order of March 2012,
directs state government to support and facilitate the rapid
commercialization of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), with a
target of having 1.5 million ZEVs on California roadways by
2025. In order to meet this goal and in order for electric
vehicles to proliferate, it is important that early consumers
have a positive experience and that facilities be readily
available to provide convenient charging stations for the
electric vehicles.
California's building codes are published on a triennial basis.
The CBSC is responsible for the administration and
implementation of each code cycle, which includes the proposal,
review and adoption processes. Pursuant to the CALGreen Code,
voluntary standards are established for the installation of
electric vehicle charging infrastructure in multifamily
dwellings for at least 3% of the total parking spaces be capable
of supporting future electric vehicle supply equipment.
Further, for non-residential development, the CALGreen Code
establishes voluntary standards for at least 10% of total spaces
to be designated for parking for low-emitting, fuel-efficient,
and carpool/vanpool vehicles, including electric vehicles. It
is also important to note that each local
jurisdiction retains the administrative authority to exceed the
CALGreen standards.
This bill directs the CBSC and HCD to adopt mandatory building
standards for parking spaces in multi-family dwellings and
non-residential development that provide a percentage of those
parking spaces to be capable of supporting future electric
vehicle supply equipment allowing the space to be "electric
vehicle ready." This action is consistent with the activities
necessary to ensure that facilities are available for use by
owners of plug-in electric vehicles.
According to the author's office, the voluntary standards in the
CALGreen Code are intended to provide model code language for
cities and counties to adopt at the local level to go beyond the
minimum mandatory building requirements. The office indicates
that a state office survey indicates that nearly 20% of
jurisdictions have adopted standards reflected in the CALGreen
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Code and they expect that number to grow as more jurisdictions
implement sustainable community strategies over the next few
years.
Supporters of this bill contend that HCD has already initiated
research on this subject and is working with stakeholders on
developing the new standards that will also be of use to CBSC as
they move forward with similar building standards for
non-residential buildings. They indicate that this bill allows
for the adoption of codes within the normal administrative
process, thus reducing the regulatory development cost to the
state and ensuring a thorough level of review and participation
by interested members of the public.
Also writing is support of this bill but requesting amendments,
the California Chapter of the American Planning Association
suggests that the regulations address only larger projects, such
as "multifamily residential projects consisting of more than
four units and nonresidential projects including more than ten
parking spaces."
Double-referral : This bill was also referred to the Housing and
Community Development Committee.
Related bills : SB 518 (Alan Lowenthal), Chapter 622, Statutes
of 2010, requires CBSC, as a part of the next triennial edition
of the California Building Standards Code adopted after January
1, 2011, to adopt building standards for the construction,
installation, and alteration of graywater systems for indoor and
outdoor uses in nonresidential occupancies.
AB 2644 (Butler), of 2012, would have required CBSC, as a part
of the next triennial edition of the California Building
Standards Code adopted after January 1, 2014, to adopt building
standards for the construction, installation, and alteration of
electric vehicle charging stations for parking spaces in
single-family residential real property. That bill was held in
the Housing and Community Development Committee for reasons
related to the deployment of charging stations at every
single-family residence.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
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American Planning Association, California Chapter (support if
amended)
California Building Industry Association
California Business Properties Association
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Ed Imai / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093