Encinitas reports 89 new all‑electric buildings in 2024 as reach‑code rollout continues

At the May meeting of the Encinitas Environmental Commission, Ryan Lampkin, sustainability analyst for the city of Encinitas, presented the city’s progress implementing local “reach codes” intended to reduce greenhouse‑gas emissions from buildings.

Lampkin said the city’s climate action plan measures — cited as driving the reach‑code work — target building decarbonization because “they account for nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in Encinitas.” He summarized the reach‑code history in Encinitas, explained how local requirements sit on top of statewide standards (CalGreen/California Building Code), and described how applicants demonstrate compliance through the city’s CAP checklist.

The reach codes are locally adopted energy and green‑building requirements that “reach beyond” the state baseline, Lampkin said. He told the commission that when applicants submit building permits they now must include the CAP checklist on the building plans (rather than as a separate attachment) so field inspectors can verify required measures. Lampkin added staff have provided trainings for building inspectors, refreshed the project web page, and released a three‑part video series for applicants; he presented the first climate mission video at the meeting.

Lampkin presented 2024 implementation data: Encinitas saw 89 new all‑electric buildings finalized in 2024, of which 58 were multifamily projects and 31 were single‑family or detached ADUs. He reported that, compared with an equivalent mixed‑fuel home, those all‑electric buildings avoided approximately 44 metric tons of CO2e annually (the figure was presented by staff as a comparison metric and was described verbally at the meeting). Lampkin noted that many projects take years to move through permitting and that more than half of buildings finaled in 2024 had permits filed before the current reach code took effect; as a result the 2024 share of all‑electric new construction is expected to rise over the next several years.

Lampkin also addressed remodels: the city’s energy‑efficiency ordinance requires energy‑efficiency retrofits when permit valuation for a remodel exceeds $50,000; eligible measures include LED lighting, vacancy sensors and heat‑pump equipment, he said. On tracking voluntary electrification without permits, Lampkin said the city could use utility consumption data (San Diego Gas & Electric) to evaluate declines in natural gas use and broader electrification trends.

The commission showed interest in how larger projects and pre‑permit projects are treated; Lampkin reiterated that projects that filed permit applications before the reach‑code adoption are not retroactively required to meet the new standards.

The presentation included short testimonial segments in a city video. Chris Cote, who appears in the video, said: “Welcome to Encinitas, where we're all about riding the wave towards a greener, more sustainable future.” Katie Kramer, chair of the Encinitas Environmental Commission, said in the video that the city “has joined over 1,400 jurisdictions worldwide in declaring a climate emergency.” Darby Berry, director of the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, said the collaborative “supports our members, like the city of Encinitas, to enable climate action.”

Why it matters: local reach codes are a key implementation tool for Encinitas’ Climate Action Plan because building electrification plus renewable electricity can substantially reduce community emissions. Staff presented adoption and implementation steps (checklist on plans, inspector trainings, applicant videos) and preliminary outcome data that city leaders can use as the policy continues to be applied to new development and remodels.

Staff said they will continue public education, finalize the remaining videos for applicants, and track outcomes through building permit and utility data.