The new 2025 code goes into effect January 1, 2026. Here’s what will change:
How Does the 2025 Energy Code Affect Homes?
- Encourages inherently efficient heat pumps for space conditioning and water heating in newly constructed single-family and some multifamily homes.
- Establishes electric-ready requirements for some multifamily buildings, so owners can more easily switch to cleaner electric appliances, when ready.
- Updates HVAC efficiency and controls standards.
- Strengthens ventilation standards to improve indoor air quality in multifamily buildings.
How Does the 2025 Energy Code Affect Businesses?
- Encourages expanded use of heat pumps for space conditioning in select newly constructed, nonresidential buildings.
- Replaces end-of-life rooftop HVAC units of a certain size with high efficiency systems including heat pumps for existing retail, schools, offices and libraries.
- Establishes electric-ready requirements for commercial kitchens, so owners can more easily switch to cleaner electric appliances, when ready.
- Adds solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage requirements for assembly buildings, including those for religious worship, sport and recreation to make clean energy available for onsite use while minimizing exports to the electrical grid.
- Updates photovoltaic and battery energy storage standards for multifamily and nonresidential buildings to be cost effective in the face of revised billing rules while minimizing exports to the electrical grid.
- Updates HVAC efficiency and control standards for nonresidential buildings.