Building Energy Efficiency
and Electrification

Project Contact: Tiffany Nguyen | Tiffany.Nguyen@sdcounty.ca.gov | (619) 913-9759

Overview

Individual changing the setting on a smart thermostat on the wall

The Equitable Building Decarbonization Program and Green Building Incentive Program seek to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from building energy use—which made up approximately 20% of emissions in the unincorporated area in 2019. The programs ultimately support key requirements outlined in the 2024 Climate Action Plan (CAP).

Programs

Equitable Building Decarbonization Program

The State of California has developed an Equitable Building Decarbonization Program which offers no-cost home upgrades in eligible homes within selected community focus areas. Through this Program, licensed local contractors install modern all-electric appliances like heat pumps, smart thermostats, electric stovetops, electric clothes dryers, and home improvements like insulation or solar window film.

Through a partnership with Program administrators, the County of San Diego expanded access to all eligible communities throughout the unincorporated area. Eligible communities include portions of Valley Center, San Dieguito, Ramona, Lakeside, Alpine, Spring Valley, Otay, and others.

For more information on the program, including household eligibility, and to apply, visit the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program website.
 

Green Building Incentive Program

The County’s Green Building Incentive Program is a voluntary program that offers streamlined permitting and reduced permit fees for green building practices that exceed state code requirements for resource and water conservation and energy efficiency. As directed by the 2024 CAP, the program was updated to encourage additional green building measures, adding new compliance options and opening eligibility criteria for energy efficiency and electrification improvements.

If you believe your project meets any of the eligibility criteria, please notify County staff at the permit counter and they’ll determine if you could benefit from program incentives.

For more information, please see the Green Building Incentive Program informational brochure.

Provide Input

To provide feedback and submit comments on the County’s energy efficiency and electrification projects, please contact Project Contact, Tiffany Nguyen via email at tiffany.nguyen@sdcounty.ca.gov or by phone at (619) 913-9759.

For past outreach materials, including presentation PDFs, please visit the CAP page under the Project Documents and Technical Reports section.

Subscribe for Updates

You can receive updates on the programs and other County sustainability initiatives by signing up for email updates.