Why this matters: With California feeling hotter and hotter weather every year, building standards — and the builders and property managers who maintain them — must account for the need to keep residents safe from heat.
Legislation recognizes need for maximum indoor temperature
California is praised for its warm winters and beautiful summers. But all across the United States, heat is the leading weather-related cause of death.
Senate Bill 655 amends the California Health and Safety Code to better protect against extreme heat by establishing a need for a maximum indoor air temperature in residential units. [HSC §17914(a)]
This will put into motion a cascade of state agencies required by the legislation to consider maximum temperature indoors whenever revising or establishing:
- policies;
- programs; or
- any criteria, including grant criteria. [HSC §17914(b)]
By January 1, 2027, this will be expanded to include changes made to new and established regulations. [HSC §17914(b)(2)]
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Solar on every roof? New construction standards in California.
Where is the limit?
How cold a residential unit can get is standardized at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. This rule is well understood by builders and landlords who must provide shelter that can maintain at least this temperature.
However, unlike this set standard for the minimum indoor air temperature, SB 655 only specifies that the maximum temperature be “safe” inside a residential unit. [HSC §17914(a)]
Moving forward, all state agencies from the California Environmental Protection Agency to the Public Utilities Commission must consider the dangers of heat, especially on the vulnerable communities most affected. [HSC §17914(b)]
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