Officials from the City of Sacramento recently gathered at Arch Nexus SAC, to announce an ordinance requiring new homes, low-rise apartment buildings and commercial structures to run entirely on electricity starting in 2023. The City Council approved the ordinance, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

“We are talking about setting the new standard for building construction in Sacramento,“ said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. The setting of the announcement was fitting, as the Arch Nexus SAC office is powered entirely by solar-generated electricity.

For complete details on Sacramento’s plan, visit the City’s new building electrification ordinance webpage. Interested parties can also learn more about electrification efforts nationwide, in this 2020 article from The Sierra Club.

The Sacramento City Council is poised to take a major step toward meeting its climate change goals when it votes Tuesday on an ordinance requiring new homes, low-rise apartment buildings and commercial structures to run entirely on electricity starting in 2023.

Mayor Darrell Steinberg will join the leaders of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District to highlight the benefits of the ordinance. Speakers will also include a representative from the environmental community and an infill developer. The press conference will be held at the Sacramento headquarters of architectural firm Architectural Nexus (Archnexus), the first certified living building in California and one powered entirely by solar-generated electricity. Read more here. Archnexus will offer media tours after the program. Attached to this advisory is a summary of the ordinance and frequently asked questions.

• What: Press conference on electrification ordinance coming to City Council on June 1
• When: 11:30 a.m., Thursday, May 27
• Where: Archnexus building, 930 R St. (in back parking lot, under solar panels)
• Who:

Mayor Darrell Steinberg

Paul Lau, CEO and General Manager, Sacramento Municipal Utility District

Alberto Ayala, Executive Director, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District

Kendra Macias Reed, Sacramento City Planning Commissioner and infill developer

Kate Wilkins, environmental scientist and board member of 350 Sac, a local group working to fight climate change

Cheryl McMurtry, Associate, Arch Nexus

Summary of electrification ordinance

Sacramento has some of the worst air quality in the nation. Burning gas in our cars or in our homes not only contributes to dirtier air and ozone, but it exacerbates risk for respiratory disease. Burning gas also creates greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet. When new buildings use electricity rather than natural gas, these buildings are not just better for the environment and the health of those living in them, but they are also cheaper in almost every development type. Studies show that residents in these new electric buildings will also save hundreds of dollars in electricity costs. Constructing new buildings to be all-electric takes advantage of the clean power that SMUD produces, maximizing the benefit of SMUD’s commitment to zero-carbon electricity by 2030.

Shifting new buildings to electricity ensures they are clean, affordable, and resilient. This is why building electrification is a key principal for the 2040 General Plan, as committed by the City Council.

By constructing new buildings to use only electric appliances, Sacramento can realize cost reductions and benefits in health and air quality improvements.

The New Building Electrification Ordinance takes a balanced, phased approach. With delayed effectiveness that varies based on development size and type, the City is ensuring that developers have time to adequately plan and prepare for implementation. The ordinance includes limited exemptions and an infeasibility process, to accommodate technical challenges and ensure that the ordinance is not a barrier to construction.

Key points:

• What is the ordinance? The ordinance requires that new buildings be all-electric, with no gas or propane infrastructure. The ordinance slowly ramps in by development type and size, from 2023 to 2026, starting with residential and commercial buildings of three stories or less.
• What does the ordinance apply to?
  • Only to new buildings, with limited exemptions and a process to accommodate infeasibility.
  • The ordinance does not apply to existing buildings, remodels of existing buildings, tenant improvements, or expansions.
• Who will this affect? Only those developing new buildings. The ordinance doesn’t apply to existing construction.
• Why is the City doing this?
  • Electrifying new buildings is a key strategy to ensure new buildings are efficient, clean, and resilient. In August 2020, City Council prioritized the ordinance as a critical near-term action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate goals. The ordinance advances a key recommendation of the Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change.
  • When you use gas in your home, such as a gas stove for cooking food, the combustion creates air pollutants – not only does this pollution create dirtier air and contribute to ozone, but studies have shown that using a gas stove increases the likelihood of asthma in children by 42%.
  • Long-term, electric buildings are more resilient and can use the renewable power that SMUD generates. SMUD has committed to 100% clean power by 2030.
  • Electric buildings will save residents money over time. One study estimated that over a 30-year period, residents in new electric construction would pay less in energy bills by approximately $5,349 in single family housing and $2,337 in low-rise multi-family.^[1] SMUD also has the lowest electricity rates in the state, meaning that going all-electric in Sacramento will yield the biggest ratepayer benefits.

• What about costs to build new construction? Building without gas is cheaper  in almost all circumstances, and SMUD incentives are available to further reduce costs.
  • Accounting for both the City’s EV standards and all-electric requirements for residential buildings, data suggests that construction savings ranges from over $6,000 (for a mid-rise, ~88-unit development) to over $60,000 (for a low-rise multi-family project with 8 dwelling units), based on cost-effectiveness studies for SMUD territory.^[2]
  • Construction costs for all-electric high-rise multi-family vary depending on project design and how hot water heating is addressed, but are offset by SMUD incentive. While the cost increase for all-electric mid- to high-rise unit can range from a savings of $228 per unit to a cost increase of $557 per dwelling unit, SMUD electric incentives range from $1,750 – $5,000 unit, offsetting the cost.
  • Also, gas rates are forecasted to increase because gas infrastructure is costly to maintain and keep safe. Residential gas costs are forecasted to increase from just about $1.3 per residential therm today to an estimated $18 per therm in 2050^[3]  (the average home in Sacramento uses about 300 therms per year; without a managed transition, annual average home gas costs in Sacramento would increase from approximately $400/year today to over $5,400/year in 2050).
• Why is the City doing this now in the midst of COVID19? New development often takes years to plan. By passing the ordinance now, Council is sending a strong signal to inform financial decisions and infrastructure planning, so that developers are ready for implementation when the ordinance goes into effect in 2023.
• How will this impact new business and housing construction?
  • The ordinance includes limited exemptions and infeasibility process, to ensure it does not place a barrier on business or housing development. This means that new restaurants can build with a gas stove, or a new manufacturing facility could include gas equipment for high-intensity process loads where technology may not be widely available. Hot water heating in regulated affordable housing is also exempt from the ordinance until 12/31/25.
  • Stakeholders will be invited to advise staff to develop infeasibility criteria, to ensure that the process is clear and transparent for applicants, and to identify technologies that may not be market ready, or project-specific conditions that may make all-electric infeasible. A range of representatives will be involved including those representing manufacturing, business, development, restaurants, equity and environmental justice perspectives, cultural perspectives, technical and engineering expertise, and labor.
  • The City will work closely with SMUD to ensure availability of educational materials and resources to assist developers with the transition to all-electric construction.
• What other cities have done this? 44 other cities in California have adopted electrification ordinances that are in effect already or go into effect before 2023, including San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland.
• What about existing buildings?
  • The ordinance does not regulate existing buildings, and there’s no proposed requirements to retrofit or replace of appliances in existing buildings.
  • On June 1^st, staff are also recommending a framework to City Council for an 18-month planning process to evaluate options and develop a strategy to decarbonize existing buildings over the next twenty-five years. To develop this strategy, the City will conduct a technical analysis and lead extensive stakeholder engagement. The proposed framework does not include new retrofit mandates, but outlines a planning process to develop recommendations for City Council.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, commonly known as LEED, is an official recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council. It verifies that a project complies with the requirements prescribed within the LEED rating systems. Becoming LEED certified allows a building to prove its sustainability through measurable criteria in a variety of areas.

The Nexus designed Kearns Library has achieved the status of LEED Gold Certification, meaning that it has met stringent benchmarks of quality and environmentally sustainable infrastructure. Areas where the Kearns Library design scored the highest, include:

Energy and Atmosphere. With optimal energy performance, advanced energy metering, renewable energy production and Green Power and Carbon Offsets, Energy and Atmosphere is where the Kearns Library ranks highest.

Innovation. Arch Nexus demonstrated innovation starting with social equity within the Project team. At least 40 weighted products within the design have Environmental Product Declarations provided. Additionally, the Kearns library not only meets the requirement for exemplary performance of 54%, it far exceed that measurement at 78.3%.

Regional Priority Credits. Regional Priority Credits are unique to the projects location. They address geographically specific environmental, social equity, and public health priorities. The Kearns Library scored well for its bicycle facilities, optimizing energy performance and its renewable energy production.

Architectural Nexus, one of the top 100 national green architecture firms, has taken the challenges presented by the Covid Pandemic and created an opportunity. While employees have been working remotely at Arch Nexus SLC, the firm’s headquarters has been undergoing a major renovation with the goal of becoming the first commercial building in Utah to achieve Living Building Certification.

According to American Lung Association 2020 State of the Air Report, Salt Lake City ranks 7^th for worst air quality among U.S. cities. Challenges such as air and water pollution continue to threaten both worldwide and regional environmental health. Buildings are responsible for 40 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Recent advances in building technology as well as building codes have demonstrated some effectiveness in reducing the amount of environmental damage that buildings cause, however, experts worry that the improvements are coming too slowly.

“This innovative project shows how we can lead the way, one building at a time, in addressing the serious air quality challenges that Salt Lake City faces. Arch Nexus SLC will be an extraordinary community asset that serves to both inspire and set a new standard for our community’s health and quality of life,” states Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.

The Living Building Challenge (LBC) is a philosophy, certification, and advocacy platform for projects to move beyond merely being less bad and to become truly regenerative. Living Buildings function as a part of the natural ecosystem both using and providing resources in the same way as any natural element such as a flower or a tree would. As a Living Building, Arch Nexus SLC will incorporate a number of regenerative features including:

• Net Positive Energy – By combining ultra-efficiency with on-site power generation via solar canopies, the building will generate more energy than it consumes on an annual basis.
• Net Positive Water – Rain water collection and gray water recycling will be implemented for all non-potable uses such as indoor and outdoor irrigation as well as flushing.
• Healthy Environment – Building materials were intentionally selected, with priority given to reclaimed and local materials, so as to promote both environmental and human health.
• Biophillic Design – Living walls, nature inspired murals, and abundant daylight will provide beauty and inspiration to the occupants and visitors within and around the building.

In 2018 Arch Nexus SAC, the office for Architectural Nexus in Sacramento, Ca., became the first certified Living Building in the state of California. Kenner B. Kingston, Arch Nexus President and 2018 Living Future Hero, says, “When we embarked on the Arch Nexus SAC project, one of our many goals was to harvest regenerative design philosophy and knowledge from California and bring it to the Intermountain West. This project is the exciting evolution of that story.”

In addition to the regenerative aspects, the newly renovated office will feature a diverse assortment of working environments, including open work spaces, hoteling offices, focus rooms, lounge areas, design labs, state of the art tele-communications systems, community meeting spaces, courtyards, café, and a gym. Julie Berreth, Arch Nexus VP of Operations and Principal in Charge of the project has this to say about the enthusiasm leading up to moving in, “As we regenerate our building to the bold LBC criteria, we are also reinventing our whole way of working together. We’ll have many choices for comfort, and many opportunities to learn from those around us. We’re excited to be together again and we delight in the success of our reimagined workplace.”

For more information, including renderings, construction photos, video, and a virtual reality tour, please visit http://www.archnexus.com/arch-nexus-slc/. For media inquiries, please contact Brian Cassil at 801-671-3344 or bcassil@archnexus.com.

The Roy Innovation Center Building No. 1 has been selected as one of Utah Construction & Design’s Outstanding Projects of 2020. The $62-million, 231,254 square foot, 3-story office building located at Hill Air Force Base in northern Utah, was built on a compressed 10-month schedule. The Falcon Hill project team, led by Sunset Ridge Development Partners, was able to do so much in so little time by utilizing a fast track delivery process utilizing tilt-up concrete and excellent construction team. The design team, led by Architectural Nexus, designed a SCIF-secure, cost-efficient structure that is honest in expression and function while still having fantastic character and depth with its coloring, patterns, curtain wall elements, beautiful window-placement and structural steel.

Project Architect, Bryce Sorensen states, I love the combination of materials used. The multi colored concrete to create a gradient look, the cedar ship lap at the entry and soffits and the expansive glass, make it feel warm and inviting. I’m proud of our project team and our ability to achieve a very aggressive goal that left our client highly satisfied.

Adrian Collado, another architect on the team, echoed Sorensen’s sentiments: A building that is mostly a rectangular concrete shell, breaks its monotony with volumetric black metal panels that are contrasted with the warmth of the cedar planks. On a blue sky day with the mountains in the background, this high-level security building is a place you want to come and be a part of.

This project is the initial kickoff project for a multi-building campus for the internationally recognized tenant. When fully developed, the campus will include approximately 1-million square feet occupied by over 3,000 employees.

The National Guard has embraced the concept of resilience. Here in Utah, part of their resilient building strategy is to be up and functioning in the face of calamity. Colvin Engineers, along with the consulting firms of Architectural Nexus and Forsgren Associates, have been selected to design the new Microgrid Interconnect at the Utah National Guard’s Camp Williams, which aims to make the base completely energy independent during times of emergency.

Microgrids are localized grids that can disconnect from the traditional grid to operate autonomously. In addition to the possibility of grid-independence, they improve power reliability and quality, increasing system energy efficiency. At Camp Williams, the objective is to build a microgrid system that would allow the entire camp to operate independently of the master grid for up to 14 days. This will be achieved through combined use of on-site wind turbines, PV arrays, battery storage and, when all else fails, a supplemental diesel generator system.

The first step in this project is the creation of a Master Energy Plan for Camp Williams, followed by designing each of the components needed to facilitate this microgrid, including multiple systems and structures to house and operate them. The overall objective is to find a way to balance the wind, solar and battery components to minimize a need for supplemental generator power.

Breaking news regarding the development of other, future microgrids came just this week, with the re-introduction of The Energy Resilient Communities Act. This bill aims to create the first federal program to build 100-percent clean energy microgrids to power critical infrastructure for communities in the aftermath of an extreme weather event or power shut-off.

The Energy Resilient Communities Act prioritizes energy equity and environmental justice by putting grant applications from low-income communities and communities of color at the front of the line for clean energy microgrid grants. This will help combat power outages and rolling blackouts, reduce pollution, create green jobs and fight the climate crisis.

Arch Nexus Associate, Megan Recher has been selected to be Co-Chair of the AIA National Resilience and Adaptation Advisory Group (Rad-AG) along with Dr. Janice Barnes. The RAd-AG is a select group of esteemed architects and planners from around the country who help shape the practice of architecture through resilience. Megan has been a part of this group since the creation in of it in 2019.

RAd-AG has lead initiatives to create climate action such as writing climate action plans, business continuity guides, and creating other resources for architects and clients to strengthen their resilience efforts through design and planning. Read more about the AIA’s Resilience and Adaptation Initiative here.

Arch Nexus is pleased to announce the promotion of Curtis Dedrick to Associate. Curtis began work with Anova Architects in 2007. Over the years, and with the merging of that firm into Arch Nexus in 2011, Curtis developed and deepened his knowledge of architecture. His experience and expertise grew, with a focus on K-12 Educational work, where he manages increasingly larger and more complex projects, including the development and management of projects encompassing the development of entire school campuses. Curtis is an excellent learner and has gained deep knowledge of construction. This shows through in his meticulousness and attention to detail. Those talents have resulted in well-earned respect from partners and clients who look forward to working with Curtis again and again.

Having grown up in – and remaining in the Sierra Foothills/Sacramento area, Curtis has deep roots in the community. As he has grown in his career, taken on more responsibility, and become licensed, Curtis has taken the opportunity to help others learn and to mentor developing professional around him. His construction and K-12 knowledge have made him a trusted resource for clients, the project teams he leads, and the contractors with whom he works. Arch Nexus anticipates many great years ahead for Curtis Dedrick.

Arch Nexus is excited to announce the promotion of Kelly Schreihofer to Principal. A University of Kansas graduate and a Healthcare design expert, Kelly came to Arch Nexus’ Sacramento office from Chicago, Illinois 4 years ago where she was a health care planner and architect.

Kelly is proactive both in projects and in management. She works with excitement and vigor on any size project of any complexity. Mentoring is another of her strong-suits  – whether it’s in the realm of architecture, planning, or project management; Kelly helps anyone she works with to realize their best selves and grow their skills in the profession. Kelly will continue to create meaningful experiences for people both inside and outside the firm, in her new role of Principal level leadership at Arch Nexus.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has announced its 10^th Annual FSC Leadership Awards, recognizing uncommon excellence that advances responsible forest management and conservation. These awards celebrate builders, architects, retailers, paper mills, manufacturers, environmental organizations, and many others who contribute to the movement toward responsible sourcing of forest material and forest management.

This year, fifteen organizations were recognized, including Community Rebuilds and Architectural Nexus for the Projects at Mill Creek. This recognition comes for collaboration of the first affordable housing community in the world to pursue the Living Building Challenge. The Projects at Mill Creek uses 80 percent FSC-certified wood with the remainder coming from salvaged sources.

Other recipients include Amazon, Georgia Pacific, Herman Miller, Target, and the Redwood Forest Foundation. Visit the FSC Newsroom to see the full list of accomplishments that are recognized.