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Staff: Glendale's AC-to-heat-pump reach-code under review by state building standards commission
Summary
City sustainability staff reported the AC-to-heat-pump ordinance adopted by Glendale was submitted to state agencies in December 2025 and has received follow-up questions from the California Building Standards Commission; staff said multiple jurisdictions are coordinating to press the BSC for a timely determination under AB 130.
Sustainability staff provided an update on the city's AC-to-heat-pump ordinance, which the commission discussed at its Aug. 6 meeting.
Staff said the city submitted the ordinance to the California Energy Commission and the California Building Standards Commission (BSC) on Dec. 18, 2025, and received a partial acceptance letter from the BSC on Feb. 2, 2026. The BSC asked six follow-up questions focused on how the proposed local ordinance accommodates both natural gas and electric infrastructure and whether it qualifies for statutory exemptions under AB 130. The city submitted written responses on March 3, 2026.
"We reached out again to the BSC, earlier this week, asking them for a meeting to try and understand why the delay regarding the reach code," staff said during the update. Staff said Glendale is working with other jurisdictions and stakeholder groups — including the US Green Building Council California and the Decarbonization Coalition — to seek clarity and that several cities will virtually attend the August BSC meeting to raise concerns about the pace and content of the BSC's review.
Commissioners asked for a further update in September and signaled support for regional coordination. Staff emphasized the ordinance as written allows continued use of gas as well as electric and framed the BSC review as focused on qualifying the local ordinance for certain exemptions under state law.
Speakers quoted: Sustainability staff (speaker 7).
Ending: Staff will report back to the commission with any decision or additional state responses at a future meeting (commission requested an update in September).
