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Sacramento County outlines Climate Action Plan rollout, reach-code work and microgrid exploration
Summary
Sustainability staff said the county will kick off implementation of its Climate Action Plan, pursue local reach codes to exceed state building standards when feasible, and is exploring microgrids and electric-transport solutions with SMUD and federal technical-assistance programs.
John Lundgren, Sacramento County sustainability manager, briefed the Environmental Commission on ongoing climate work and gave a short progress update on the Climate Action Plan (CAP), reach codes and resilience partnerships.
Lundgren said the county executive will convene a kickoff meeting for departmental leaders to begin CAP implementation and that the county is preparing reach-code work to exceed baseline state building codes where cost-effective. “The cap is now approved and it's expected that everyone be working diligently towards the goals in the CAP,” Lundgren said.
Staff described a sequencing constraint: the county must wait for the state-approved CBEC compliance software and associated cost-effectiveness studies before finalizing any reach-code package that would take effect after the next state building-code cycle on Jan. 1, 2026. Lundgren said staff are targeting reach-code measures for new and existing residential construction and will conduct robust outreach.
Lundgren also described regional programs and partnerships. He said the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District ran a commercial landscaper trade-in program for gas equipment and that state rebate opportunities are expanding for electrification. He said a county request for funds for a residential trade-in did not advance in the county budget this cycle but that the subject remains on staff’s radar.
On resilience, Lundgren reported that the county and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) have discussed microgrids, virtual power plants and resilience for critical county facilities, including proposals that would pair solar, battery storage and electric-vehicle assets with community-serving sites. He said the county applied for U.S. Department of Energy technical assistance alongside SMUD to study microgrid opportunities for county facilities and that staff provided a support letter for a SMUD project that was not awarded.
Lundgren said the county will participate in community events such as Earth Day at Southside Park and will continue to coordinate interjurisdictionally on building-electrification efforts through an MOU with the city of Sacramento, Elk Grove and SMUD.
Commissioners asked about outreach, rebate programs and the status of federal/state funding for electrification and resiliency projects. Lundgren said staff will continue outreach through the Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force and the county’s departments and that he will follow up with interested commissioners on funding opportunities and technical-assistance timelines.
