San Jose's Green Building Ordinance (SJMC Chapter 17.84) plus its CALGreen Tier 1/Tier 2 reach code require new construction to meet enhanced energy, electrification, water-efficiency, and EV-readiness standards beyond statewide California Green Building Standards Code Title 24 Part 11.
California Title 24 Part 11 (CALGreen) sets statewide minimum sustainability standards for all new buildings. San Jose's Green Building Ordinance, codified in SJMC Chapter 17.84, layers a local reach code on top: most new residential and commercial construction must be all-electric (no natural-gas infrastructure) per the city's 2019 ordinance, install EV-ready or EV-charging infrastructure exceeding state minimums, and meet CALGreen Tier 1 for water and indoor-air quality. Larger projects (10+ units or 25,000+ sq ft commercial) face Tier 2 standards, LEED-equivalent certification thresholds, and bay-friendly landscaping requirements. The Climate Smart San Jose plan drives ongoing updates aligned with the city's carbon-neutrality 2030 goal.
Permits cannot be issued without compliance documentation; failure to install required EV infrastructure or all-electric systems triggers redesign, plan-check delays, denial of occupancy, and possible city building-code-enforcement penalties.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
San Jose, CA
San Jose requires EV charging infrastructure in new construction under CALGreen Tier 2 standards. Residential new builds need 100% EV-ready parking; multifam...
San Jose, CA
San Jose adopted Climate Smart San Jose in 2018 and committed to community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030. Reach codes under San Jose Municipal Code Chapter ...
San Jose, CA
San Jose requires building permits for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations per SJMC Title 17 and California Solar Permitting Guidebook standards. The City ...
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