New Construction
The Energy-Smart Homes program can help to maximize incentives without disrupting construction timelines.
California Energy-Smart Homes program incentive pathways:
- The all-electric pathway offers significant incentives for buildings without gas metering or hookup infrastructure
- The mixed-fuel pathway incentivizes above-code construction of projects with existing plans for gas service installation
The Mixed-Fuel Program will close on December 31, 2022. The program will not accept Mixed-Fuel project applications after December 31, 2022.
Single Family, Duplex, Townhome, and ADU
Single Family All-Electric Incentives
Energy-Smart Homes offers de-escalating base incentives depending on the project’s year of completion. To be eligible for incentives, single family, duplex, townhome, and ADU projects must be all-electric and meet all applicable federal, state, and local laws and codes.
| Single Family All-Electric Project Type | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Family | $3,500 | $3,500 | $2,100 | $1,850 | $1,600 |
| ADUs | $1,750 | $1,750 | $1,350 | $1,100 | $1,000 |
Mixed-Fuel Incentives
The Mixed-Fuel Program will close on December 31, 2022. The program will not accept Mixed-Fuel project applications after December 31, 2022.
Incentives for mixed-fuel new construction projects are dependent on installed project savings and include escalating incentives for increased savings.
| Mixed-Fuel New Construction | Base Incentive delta EDR ≥ 2.0 | Additional incentive for each 0.1 delta EDR over 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Single Family/Duplex/Townhome (per unit) | $800 | $5 |
Multifamily Low-Rise
Multifamily Low-Rise All-Electric Incentives
Energy-Smart Homes offers de-escalating base incentives depending on the project’s year of completion. To be eligible for incentives, multifamily projects must be all-electric and meet all applicable federal, state, and local laws and codes.
| Multifamily Low-Rise All-Electric New Construction | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multifamily Low-Rise (per unit) | $1,750 | $1,750 | $1,350 | $1,100 | $1,000 |
Mixed-Fuel Incentives
The Mixed-Fuel Program will close on December 31, 2022. The program will not accept Mixed-Fuel project applications after December 31, 2022.
Incentives for mixed fuel new construction are dependent on installed project savings and provide escalating incentives for increased savings.
| Mixed-Fuel New Construction | Base Incentive delta EDR ≥ 2.0 | Additional incentive for each 0.1 delta EDR over 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Multifamily Low-Rise (per unit) | $450 | $6 |
New Construction Program Requirements
New Construction Single Family, Duplex, Townhome, ADU, and Multifamily Low-Rise projects must install:
- Communicating thermostats
- Segregated circuits
- Electric vehicle charging infrastructure pre-wiring in accordance with CALGreen Building Code EV ready requirements (not required for ADUs)
- Battery storage readiness (not required for ADUs or Multifamily Low-Rise projects)
- Thermostatic mixing valves (not required for ADUs or Mixed-Fuel projects)
- Mixed-Fuel pathway only: Pre-wiring and enabling space requirements for all-electric homes.
The Mixed-Fuel Program will close on December 31, 2022. The program will not accept Mixed-Fuel project applications after December 31, 2022.
Communicating thermostats
Energy-Smart Homes requires communicating thermostats in single family homes and low-rise multifamily dwelling units to have the following capabilities:
- Programmable and Wi-Fi capable, allowing occupants to remotely adjust temperature with a smartphone or other device
- Auto demand response (ADR) capability
Segregated circuits
Energy-Smart Homes requires the segregation of the following electrical circuits in single family homes and low-rise multifamily dwellings:
- Lighting including exit and egress lighting and exterior lighting
- HVAC systems and components including furnaces, package units, whole-house fans, chillers, air handling units, cooling towers, and circulation pumps associated with HVAC
- Domestic and service water system pumps and related systems and components
- Plug load including appliances rated less than 25 kVA
- Charging stations for electric vehicles
For segregated circuits, no plug load, lighting load, or appliances (including but not limited to dishwasher, dryer, refrigerator, clothes washer, oven, whole house fan, furnace/heat pump, water heater, sump pumps, etc.) can share a common circuit. This means that any one circuit can only serve a lighting load, a plug load, or a single major appliance.
Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure (not required for ADUs)
Energy-Smart Homes requires single family homes and multifamily buildings to comply with Section 4.106.4.2 of the California Green Building Standards Code, Title 24, Part 11 for space, location, size, and number of electric vehicles. EV Capable parking spaces have electrical panel capacity, a dedicated branch circuit, a raceway to the EV parking spot, and wiring to support the future installation of EV charging stations.
Battery storage readiness (not required for ADUs or Multifamily Low-Rise projects)
Energy-Smart Homes requires new single-family homes to include a minimum 225-amp busbar, four backed-up circuits (two of which must be the refrigerator and bedroom receptacle outlet), and either a subpanel or split-bus main panel for those circuits.
Thermostatic mixing valves (not required for ADUs or Mixed-Fuel projects)
Energy-Smart Homes requires all heat pump water heaters installed in single family homes and low-rise multifamily units to be equipped with thermostatic mixing valves.
Mixed-Fuel pathway only:
Pre-wiring and enabling space requirements for all-electric homes. The Mixed-Fuel Program will close on December 31, 2022. The program will not accept Mixed-Fuel project applications after December 31, 2022.
Program funds are limited. Incentives are available on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are no longer available.
