National City, CA Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)

National City adopts the California Green Building Standards Code, known as CALGreen, in Chapter 15.78, which holds one section. Section 15.78.010 has the City Council adopt the 2025 edition, California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 11, and requires all construction of buildings to conform to it except as otherwise provided by the chapter. The chapter prints no local amendments and no penalty of its own. Its history line lists Ordinance No. 2025-2558, adopted 11-18-2025, as the latest update, the same date printed for the 2025 California Energy Code (Section 15.75.010), the 2025 California Residential Code (Section 15.79.010) and the 2025 California Existing Building Code (Section 15.90.010).

The local requirements sit in Chapter 15.80, Construction and Demolition Debris, whose stated purpose is to divert building materials from landfills and return them to the economic mainstream. Covered projects include one new single-family structure of at least two thousand square feet of floor area, more than one new single-family structure regardless of size, all new multifamily structures, any new commercial building, tenant improvements of at least two thousand five hundred square feet, and demolition of any residential or commercial structure. Section 15.80.060 requires covered projects to divert seventy-five percent of inert debris (asphalt, concrete, brick, masonry and tile) and fifty percent of the remaining debris. The applicant files a waste diversion form with the building or demolition permit application, and no permit issues without it.

The refundable deposit is $.20 per square foot for new construction with a maximum of $35,000, .35 per square foot for renovation, remodel or demolition with a maximum of 35,000, and .10 per square foot for solely roofing with a maximum of 10,000. A refund request comes within thirty days of the final inspection, backed by vendor receipts. Chapters 15.81 and 15.82 add expedited permits for small residential rooftop solar and electric vehicle charging stations.