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CALGreen 2025 Code Update and What It Means for Your Project

  • Writer: Sara Greenwood
    Sara Greenwood
  • 2 hours ago
  • 3 min read


The 2025 California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen), Title 24, Part 11, took effect January 1, 2026, and brings with it some of the most sweeping changes to the code since embodied carbon requirements were introduced. From a complete overhaul of the energy compliance framework to major expansions in EV infrastructure, indoor air quality, and water efficiency, the 2025 update signals California's continued commitment to reducing the environmental footprint of its built environment.


Here is a breakdown of the key changes design and construction teams need to know.


What Changed and Why It Matters:


Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure: Major Expansion

EV charging requirements have been substantially restructured for both residential and nonresidential projects.

Residential:

  • Multifamily projects now require one EV-ready receptacle per dwelling unit (a shift away from the previous percentage-of-parking-spaces approach)

  • Additions and alterations must provide 100% Level 2 EV readiness for all altered parking spaces

  • Hotels and motels face new dedicated requirements: 40% Level 2 receptacles and 25% Level 2 installed chargers

Nonresidential:

  • EV capable spaces must be upgraded with EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) per updated Table 5.106.5.3.1

  • New connector standards reference SAE J1772 and J3400

  • A new DCFC (DC Fast Charge) reduction mechanism is now available under §5.106.5.3.2.3


Indoor Air Quality: MERV 13 Now Mandatory

For nonresidential projects, the 2025 code mandates MERV 13 filtration in two key areas:

  • §5.504.1 — temporary ventilation filters during construction must be MERV 13

  • §5.504.5 — permanent filters in all mechanically ventilated, regularly occupied spaces must also be MERV 13


Water Efficiency: Tighter Fixture Limits

Mandatory water efficiency requirements have been tightened:

  • Residential lavatory faucets: reduced to a maximum of 1.2 gpm

  • Kitchen faucets: temporarily permitted up to 2.2 gpm, with an automatic default back to 1.8 gpm

  • Nonresidential showerheads: reduced to 1.8 gpm per head and per shower


Construction Waste Management: Now Required for Residential

A new mandatory Construction Waste Management (CWM) Plan has been added to the residential code under §4.408. Projects must now demonstrate a minimum 65% diversion rate for construction waste. This is a significant change in contractor workflow and submittal requirements that teams should plan for early in the project.


Bicycle Parking: New Requirements Across Building Types

The 2025 code introduces new structured bicycle parking requirements for both residential and nonresidential projects:

  • Nonresidential short-term bicycle parking: 20% of peak daily visitors (the small-project exception has been removed)

  • Nonresidential long-term bicycle parking: 10% of tenant-occupants for new buildings, additions, and shell buildings — each with minimum enclosure and anchoring requirements

  • Residential (multifamily and hotels/motels): new requirements for both short-term and long-term bicycle storage tied to dwelling units and guest counts


COâ‚‚ Monitoring: Expanded Scope

CO₂ monitoring requirements under §5.506.3 have been expanded to now apply to classrooms at UC, CSU, and private schools — a notable expansion of scope for educational facility projects.


Embodied Carbon: The 50,000 SF Threshold is Now in Effect

As a reminder, a critical milestone from the 2022 CALGreen code cycle also applies to projects permitted in 2026: the embodied carbon threshold for nonresidential buildings dropped from 100,000 SF to 50,000 SF as of January 1, 2026. This means that more projects than ever are now subject to embodied carbon compliance requirements, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) pathways.


What Types of Projects Are Affected?

The 2025 CALGreen code applies to all newly permitted residential and nonresidential construction projects in California as of January 1, 2026. Key groups to pay close attention to the new requirements include:

  • Multifamily developers and architects, given the sweeping EV and bicycle parking changes

  • Nonresidential project teams, given the MERV 13, water efficiency, and COâ‚‚ monitoring updates

  • All project teams, given the energy compliance framework overhaul


How GCG Can Help:

At GCG, we stay ahead of code changes so your team doesn't have to start from scratch. Whether you need support navigating the new code or conducting a Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment to meet embodied carbon thresholds, our team is here to help.

For more information on services provided by Greenwood Consulting Group, contact us here.



-Elena Kiernan, Sustainability Consultant





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