Determination of Exemption for the Monte Vista Apartments Project from the 2019 Energy Code solar photovoltaic system requirements.

On May 09, 2018, the California Energy Commission (CEC) adopted the 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 1, Chapter 10, and Part 6; also known as the California Energy Code), which went into effect January 1, 2020. Section 150.1(c)14 of the 2019 Energy Code requires the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for newly constructed low-rise residential buildings, including multifamily developments. Title 24, Part 1, Section 10-109(k), Photovoltaic System Requirement Determination, states, “The Commission may, upon written application or its own motion, determine that the photovoltaic requirements in Section 150.1(c)14 shall not apply, if the Commission finds that the implementation of public agency rules regarding utility system costs and revenue requirements, compensation for customer-owned generation, or interconnection fees, causes the Commission’s cost-effectiveness conclusions, made pursuant to Public Resources Code 25402(b)(3), to not hold for particular buildings.” At its December 8, 2025, business meeting, the CEC has adopted a finding, pursuant to the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 1, Section 10-109(k), that the unique public agency rules adopted by Turlock Irrigation District (TID), the electrical requirements established by the City of Turlock Building and Safety Division/Fire Inspector (City of Turlock), and the solar PV system costs estimated in bids from electrical and solar contractors to install locally compliant system designs, provided in Pacific West Communities, INC.’s application, cause the Commission’s solar PV cost-effectiveness conclusions in the 2019 Energy Code to not hold for the newly constructed low-rise multifamily buildings in the Monte Vista Apartments Project within the City of Turlock and TID service area. Accordingly, as a result of the finding above, the CEC has determined that the 2019 Energy Code solar PV requirements in Section 150.1(c)14 do not apply to the newly constructed low-rise multifamily buildings in the Monte Vista Apartments Project as identified in Pacific West Communities, Inc.’s application to the CEC.