California Legislature Passes Energy Efficiency Bill to Save Money & Reduce Carbon Emissions

First of its kind Bill targets energy savings for all existing buildings

**Legislative Update**

Los Angeles, CA (September 10, 2009) – Today the California State Senate passed Assembly Bill (AB) 758, legislation that will make existing buildings more energy efficient and less expensive to operate. The bill, sponsored by Global Green USA and authored by Assembly Member Nancy Skinner (D- Berkeley), will require the California Energy Commission (CEC) to develop a comprehensive energy efficiency program for all existing residential and commercial buildings.

“To meet our future goals for affordable, clean and reliable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we need AB 758 to ensure our aging residential and commercial building stock is as efficient as our new construction,” said Assembly Member Skinner.

AB 758 would require the California Energy Commission to establish a regulatory proceeding, by March 1, 2010, to develop and implement a comprehensive program to achieve energy savings in the existing residential and commercial building stock that falls significantly below current Title 24 building standards. The bill would also require the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC), by January 1, 2011, to authorize each electrical corporation to provide a targeted number of low- or no-cost energy efficiency audits each calendar year.

“Energy use in buildings is the largest single global warming pollution source in the United States – accounting for 40% of all greenhouse gas emissions nationally,” said Global Green policy director Mary Luevano.  “More than three quarters of California homes are built to outdated energy standards so the existing building stock represents a huge opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency and save money for the average homeowner”.

Retrofitting and weatherizing an existing building can significantly lower utility costs for residents.  Lower energy consumption means a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and less stress on the power grid, reducing the vulnerability to the rolling blackouts Californians experienced in 2000.

According to the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) 2005 report “Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings” they project that electricity can be reduced 9% and natural gas 6% through cost effective measures which translates to $4.5 billion dollars in consumer savings. Implementing the CEC’s recommended cost effective measures is the equivalent of removing over 3 million cars from the road for one year.

AB 758 is now headed for Assembly concurrence and will likely head to the Governor’s desk soon after.