Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently announced that the California Building Standards Commission has adopted the nation's first mandatory Green Building Standards Code: CALGreen. The program, which takes effect on January 1, 2011, will require all new buildings in the state to be more energy efficient and environmentally responsible.

"Today's action lays the foundation for the move to greener buildings constructed with environmentally advanced building practices that decrease waste, reduce energy use and conserve resources," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "The code will help us meet our goals of curbing global warming and achieving 33 percent renewable energy by 2020 and promotes the development of more sustainable communities by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency in every new home, office building or public structure."

CALGreen will require mandatory inspections of energy systems (such as furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioners, and other mechanical equipment) for nonresidential buildings with more than 10,000 square feet of floor space to ensure that the energy systems are working at their maximum capacity and according to their design efficiencies. It also requires that every new building constructed in California reduce water consumption by 20%, divert 50% of construction waste from landfills, and install materials that emit low amounts of indoor pollutants.

In addition, separate water meters are required for nonresidential buildings' indoor and outdoor water use, with a requirement for moisture-sensing irrigation systems for larger landscape projects. While water conservation is itself a priority in the state, water consumption is directly tied to energy consumption. A 2005 report from the California Energy Commission (CEC) found that water use consumes 19% of the state's electricity, 30% of its natural gas, and at least 88 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year (including water heating).