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MEMORANDUM (continued) <br />To: Gabriel Taylor and Peter Strait (CEC) <br />Re: Interpretation of Menlo Park Reach Code <br />September 3, 2019 <br />be allowed for cooking or decorative fireplaces is a voluntary choice to be made by a <br />homeowner/builder and as such does not need to be shown to be cost-effective. Additionally, <br />the cost to add pre -wiring for cooktops/ovens is minimal at the time of new construction since <br />there is an electrical outlet present even for gas cooktops since they are electronic/electric <br />ignition and have other electronic components like fans and lights that need electricity supply. <br />So, the pre -wiring for future induction cooktops only requires upsizing the wire gauge (a <br />minimal cost at time of construction) and a different outlet (also a minimal upgrade cost). A <br />recent cost -estimate provided by Scott Shell at EHDD Architects (based on data provided by tbd <br />consultants) estimates this cost to be $280 at the time of new construction. Retrofitting an <br />existing electrical line with an upsized one that can power induction would cost $930. So, it is <br />inherently cost-effective for the lesser expense be done at time of construction as opposed to <br />spending more year or more later to add the capability. <br />♦ The cost-effectiveness study conducted by TRC for the Statewide Codes and Standards Team at <br />the Investor Owned Utilities (IOU) used a hotel prototype for establishing cost-effectiveness for <br />both hotel as well as high-rise residential applications. This is partly because there was no high- <br />rise residential prototype available and the Title 24 compliance tools lack modeling of central <br />water heating systems. Since the Title 24, part 6 requirements for hotel/motel guestrooms are <br />the same as those of high-rise residential dwelling units, and because the prototype was <br />modeled with individual space and water heaters, we believe the use of the hotel prototype is <br />appropriate to represent high-rise residential as well. Further, any nonresidential spaces <br />modeled for the hotel prototype would have to be modeled with same/similar systems if those <br />same end uses exist in a high-rise residential building. Thus, we are confident that the hotel <br />prototype is sufficient for high-rise residential applications. <br />In nonresidential buildings, the prototypes examined in the cost effectiveness analysis only <br />included space heating and water heating electrification. Other end uses targeted in the Menlo <br />Park ordinance are unregulated appliances such as cooking, clothes drying which are not <br />explicitly modeled in Title 24 compliance calculations. Adding requirements for these end uses <br />to be electric does not impact the TDV budget for the building or compliance with Title 24. <br />These will however impact the overall fist cost of the all -electric building as well as operational <br />impacts. These impacts however are not likely to be significant compared with the overall cost <br />savings of around $25,000 for offices and retail and almost $1M for hotel occupancies. Electric <br />cooking and clothes drying first cost difference compared to natural gas versions are between <br />$800-$2000 per appliance. Operational cost increases are around $2,000 per appliance over the <br />building's lifetime. Thus, the added first and operation costs for electric appliances are unlikely <br />to be greater than the significant cost savings resulting from eliminating natural gas <br />infrastructure. <br />We thus propose that existing cost-effectiveness studies should be sufficient to justify Menlo Park <br />requirements. Any guidance on this approach and/or code language format is much appreciated. <br />Page 2 of 2 ,/ TR <br />