Pilots

Permitting Pilot

About: The Permitting Pilot team supports building departments by building awareness and providing support and resources to overcome barriers to achieve simple, streamlined, one-day permit approvals for heat pump water heaters (HPWHs). The TECH Permitting Pilot will complement and support efforts already under way to identify permit process best practices and understand the permitting needs of residential heat pump water heater conversion projects. Partnering with the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) and other parties, the pilot’s goal is to develop scalable solutions and strategies for making HPWH install permitting as easy and convenient as gas-to-gas replacements. The following approaches are being used toward this goal:

  1. ID ways to simplify the permitting process for heat pump projects
  2. Develop a model single-day permit for heat pump water heater conversions that can be adopted by jurisdictions statewide
  3. Train building departments on heat pump best practices to improve their familiarity and comfort with this technology

Downloadable Permitting Resources

The Permitting Pilot has developed a suite of resources to help guide you through standard permitting and energy code requirements for your HPWH project:

  • HPWH Permit Supplement Template
  • Electrical Load Estimator
    • This Estimator includes two calculators, the first being a comprehensive load calculator that assists in calculating the Service Load of a dwelling. This load calculator is compliant with 220.82 of the Electrical Code. The second assists in calculating the Maximum Exiting Load per Code Reference 220.87. It is recommended only building professionals familiar with the energy code use the Service Load Calculation sheet.
  • 2022 HPWH Building Code Assistance Sheet
    • BayREN and TECH Clean California offer this summary of California state level building code requirements for the installation of heat pump water heaters. This is intended to assist permit applicants and building department staff to submit, review, approve, install, and inspect heat pump water heater alterations in single family homes.
Your information will not be shared outside of the program, but we may contact you for feedback on these resources in order to improve them.

Pilot Meetings

September 30, 2021 (Stakeholder Group & Working Group)

Prioritizing Resources – Session #1: Clarify roles of Stakeholder Group vs. Working Group; surface known issues and needs

Meeting Resources:
Meeting Slides
Stakeholder Group Key Takeaways

December 9, 2021 (Working Group)

Prioritizing Resources - Session #2: Narrow priority permitting needs; outline of draft resource/approaches
Support to Implement - Session #1: What supports do jurisdictions need to adopt?

Meeting Resources:
Meeting Slides

January 27, 2022 (Working Group)

Review Draft Resources - Session #1: Alignment with needs; technical and usability feedback
Support to Implement - Session #2: Discuss partner recruitment and implementation map/path

Meeting Resources:
Meeting Slides
HPWH Permit Supplement Template
HPWH Permit Guide
Electrical Load Estimator

March 24, 2022 (Stakeholder Group & Working Group)

Review Draft Resources - Session #2: Review "final drafts" of initial resources; establish approach for sharing
Support to Implement - Session #3: Partner recruitment update; discuss data sharing opportunities and realities

Meeting Resources:
HPWH Permit Supplement Template
Electrical Load Estimator
2022 HPWH Building Code Assistance Sheet
TECH Permitting Pilot Stakeholder Group Summary

June 2022

Update on implementation activities; assess new needs beyond initial resources

March 2023

(Meeting or by email)
Update on resources and implementation; circulate draft implementation report

More Information

Email us and include “Permitting Pilot” in the subject line to receive updates and more information: tech.pilots@energy-solution.com.

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