Title 24: Part 6 of California's Title 24 building standards, known as the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards, which establishes minimum energy performance requirements for new construction and renovations to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
What Title 24 Covers
Title 24 Part 6 sets energy efficiency requirements for: building insulation (walls, ceilings, floors, foundations), windows and glazing (U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient), HVAC systems (efficiency minimums, duct sealing), water heaters, lighting (indoor and outdoor), and solar readiness. The standards are updated approximately every three years, with each update generally becoming more stringent.
When Title 24 Applies
Title 24 compliance is required for: new construction of any type, additions to existing buildings (the addition itself must comply), and alterations that trigger compliance requirements. HVAC replacements trigger duct leakage testing requirements. Window replacements trigger glazing compliance. Lighting alterations trigger lighting efficiency requirements. The extent of Title 24 requirements for alterations depends on the scope of work.
Title 24 Compliance Documentation
Title 24 compliance is documented through energy compliance forms — primarily the CF1R (Certificate of Compliance for newly permitted buildings) and CF2R and CF3R forms for installation verification and inspections. These must be filed with the building department as part of the permit application. A Title 24 energy consultant (HERS rater) is often required to verify compliance for HVAC-related work.
Title 24 and Solar
Since 2020, California's Title 24 requires solar photovoltaic systems on most new single-family homes. The 2022 update extended this requirement to new multifamily buildings. This is the most significant recent expansion of Title 24 — and one of the reasons California has the highest rate of new home solar installation in the U.S.