BUILDING DECARBONIZATION EFFORTS UNDERWAY IN TRUCKEE TAHOE REGION

Climate Transformation Alliance (CTA) launched a new program to address building electrification in the region, called the Truckee Tahoe Building Decarbonization Pilot Program. Sierra Business Council (SBC), the nonprofit facilitator of CTA, is responsible for implementing this program, which is funded through an award from a private donor. Over the next year, the program will support the goal of working toward a carbon-free Truckee and North Lake Tahoe community.

This pilot program includes several components to advance regional building decarbonization efforts. It will bring building electrification workforce education and training programming to the region in the spring of 2024, launch a website resource to guide home and building owners through a Truckee Tahoe-specific electrification road map and available rebates and incentives, share the benefits of building decarbonization, and introduce a one-stop-shop coaching service for home and building owners looking to electrify. This program is leveraging experience from experts in the field and fostering collaboration between key stakeholders.

One of the cornerstones of the pilot program will be equipping the local workforce with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead in the decarbonization effort. SBC will partner with local contractors and trainers to bring programming to our region. Additionally, the program will offer scholarships for existing contractors to receive electrification training. Through these targeted programs, SBC and CTA aim to empower the workforce with the expertise needed to drive this transition.

In recent building code cycles in California, a notable trend has emerged regarding electrification in construction practices. The latest iterations have increasingly emphasized the use of electric appliances, heating, and cooling systems over traditional fossilfuel-based options. These shifts are in line with California’s ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable building practices. Requirements such as those in Title 24, Part 6, the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards, have mandated the integration of energy-efficient electric heating systems, heat pumps, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure in new constructions and major renovations. This signals a significant transition towards cleaner and more efficient building technologies, presenting both challenges and opportunities for contractors to adapt to these evolving regulatory landscapes.

While the main goals of this program are to upskill the local workforce and to begin electrifying buildings, other program benefits that will contribute to success include developing the project specifications necessary for this climate zone and collecting various data metrics, such as average energy savings, financial feasibility, and overall effectiveness across different building types.

This program is an opportunity to engage with the community about building decarbonization, collect data to inform future efforts, and stay up to date with state building code requirements. Valuable insights into the local impacts of electrification will be gained from the data collected from this pilot program. This will not only guide future decision-making but also serve as a powerful tool to advocate for broader adoption of electrification measures and demonstrate the tangible benefits of building decarbonization in this region.

Thanks to Meredith Anderson, Project Manager at Sierra Business Council for writing this article. You can contact Meredith at 530.214.3649, manderson@sierrabusiness. org or climatetransformationalliance.org/buildingdecarb (launching Spring 2024).