Green building standards.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to prescribe, by regulation, energy conservation and water efficiency standards for new residential and nonresidential buildings to reduce wasteful, uneconomic, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy. The California Building Standards Law provides for the adoption of building standards by state agencies by requiring all state agencies that adopt or propose adoption of any building standard to submit the building standard to the California Building Standards Commission for approval or adoption. Existing law requires the commission to adopt, approve, codify, update, and publish green building standards for any occupancy for which no state agency has the authority or expertise to propose those standards. This bill would require the commission or any state agency proposing green building standards to seek the input of other state agencies and consult with representatives from specified groups, as prescribed. The bill would require any agency providing input to recommend to the commission or proposing agency whether the standard should be voluntary or mandatory. The bill would also authorize the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to develop and adopt voluntary energy efficiency standards, as described.