Link to Architectural Record (Jan. 9, 2026) | On January 13, 2025, less than a week after wildfires devastated the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass issued Emergency Executive Order No. 1, which exempted rebuilding from compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The order also exempted these projects from complying with the City of L.A.’s Ordinance No. 187,714, from 2022, which sought to eliminate fossil-fuel use in new houses by mandating all-electric appliances and systems.
Although the order was made in the spirit of expediting recovery, to many advocates of green building in California, the exemptions seem like a step back from the city’s and state’s otherwise progressive climate-action policies.
…Michael Rochmes, the policy and advocacy coordinator for the U.S. Green Building Council California (USGBC-CA), says the rollbacks feel like a missed opportunity. “It sends a message that these sustainable building codes are expensive,” he says. “We did the cost-effectiveness studies when we developed these requirements, so we know you’re going to be better off in the long term if you comply with the latest code.” (Read full article)
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