Carbon Intensity of Construction and Building Materials Act Passes Committee

Sacramento, CA – This week, Assemblymember Chris Holden’s bill, AB 2446: Carbon Intensity of Construction and Building Materials Act, passed the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality. This measure is the first in the nation, and would require the State to develop a framework for measuring and then reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the construction of all public and private buildings. 

“With AB 2446, we hope to bring conscious design to reduce materials used and the employment of low carbon construction materials,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden.

The bill would require the Energy Commission to design the framework to achieve an eighty percent net reduction in new construction by 2045, which is aligned with Executive Order B-55-18 from 2018 that sets a statewide goal of carbon net neutrality, no later than 2045.

This bill would require a life cycle assessment to determine the carbon intensity of both residential and non-residential buildings in the State.  Following this assessment, the Energy Commission will begin efforts on a framework to reduce the carbon intensity over time.  AB 2446 would also require the Commission to leverage State and Federal incentives to reduce the cost of implementing the framework and to increase economic value for the State.

“AB 2446 will play an important role in moving the construction and building materials industries forward by fostering innovation, while at the same time addressing some of the most pressing issues we face today. As a California-based company committed to delivering zero carbon homes by 2028 without purchased offsets, we’re proud that our state is once again demonstrating strong leadership through this commitment to environmental sustainability and its goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2045,” said Slava Solonitsyn, CEO of Mighty Buildings

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