Marin County's Building Electrification Roadmap

Status: Complete (ongoing)

The goal of a countywide hub is to connect Marin residents and businesses to energy, electrification, and EV resources and services. This makes it easier to get energy and electrification related answered through a clear and concise online source. 

Progress highlights

The County has established the Electrify Marin Resource Hub as a central source of information for residents interested in building electrification and energy efficiency. The hub brings together guidance on getting started with home electrification, available rebates and incentives, electric appliances, EVs and charging, solar and battery storage, contractor resources, permitting assistance, and other related programs and resources. New resources are added regularly.

Status: In-progress (ongoing)

This measures focuses on making gas-to-electric conversion projects easier and less costly by reducing permitting barriers. This can include lower or waived permit fees, simpler application and review processes, and faster permitting for common projects such as heat pump water heaters, heat pump HVAC systems, and related electrical upgrades.

Progress highlights

• The County has evaluated a permit discount program and concluded that rebates, such as those offered through Electrify Marin, are a more direct way to incentivize Marin homeowners to complete gas-to-electric appliance replacements. If incentive funding becomes available, the County will prioritize the direct-to-homeowner incentive approach.
• Permit streamlining is a major focus of the County's work with the BayREN Codes & Standards program. Representatives from building departments across the county meet monthly through the Marin County Codes Advisory Board (MCCAB), which is hosted by the County, to work to improve permit streamlining and other issues related to building code compliance.
• MCE recently completed a study on Permitting Barriers in Residential Electrification. Learn more about the study and lessons learned on MCE's website.
• In October 2026, the governor signed SB 222, the Heat Pump Access Act, which limits permits fees and streamlines permitting for heat pump projects. The County is working with BayREN to share resources to help Marin's building departments comply.

Status: Completed (ongoing)

Local "reach codes" that exceed state building standards can reduce GHG emissions and save energy for consumers. These local codes are required to be "cost effective", as defined by the California Energy Commission. Uniformity across local jurisdictions makes compliance easier and reduces confusion.

Progress highlights

• Marin has a long history of energy reach codes, focused on new construction, remodels, EV infrastructure, and electric readiness
• The current reach code focuses on existing buildings by applying energy efficiency and electrification requirements at time of remodel. This policy is known as the Flex Path.
• The County has supported 7 other Marin cities and towns to adopt their own versions of the Flex Path.
• There are currently some legal questions at the state level that have prevented some jurisdictions from implementing the reach codes they adopted. The County is working to support these jurisdiction through these regulatory hurdles.

Status: Completed (ongoing)

Green financing programs can help budget-constrained customers move forward with energy-related projects they might otherwise not be able to afford. The goal of this measure is to ensure information about existing and new financing opportunities is readily available to Marin residents.

Progress highlights

• Promoting financing opportunities is done primarily through the Electrify Marin resource hub. Go Green and PACE financing are some of the highlighted programs.
• BayREN's Green Labeling Program works to educate local realtors about green financing opportunities.
• The County is monitoring the development of additional financing tools, such as tariff on bill financing, and will promote new opportunities as they become available.

Status: Monitoring/deferred

Progress highlights

• Opportunities to influence PG&E's infrastructure planning are limited.
• The County participates in the statewide Local Government Sustainable Energy Coalition (LGSEC), which advocates for better PG&E infrastructure.
• When opportunities to advocate arise, the County's Legislative Affairs team advocate for Marin's interests with PG&E and the CPUC.

Status: In-progress (ongoing)

This measure aims to prepare and develop the existing trades workforce to meet the increased demand for energy and electrification upgrade services. An expanded pipeline of new workers to enter the energy and electrification trades will be needed to support the transition.

Progress highlights

• BayREN's Workforce Education and Training program offers trainings throughout the year for building professionals and building department staff, with a strong focus on heat pump water heater trainings currently.
• County staff is participating in a regional group called Sprint to 9-6 which focuses on preparedness for the Air District's zero-NOx water heater rule. This effort includes a workforce development working group that focuses on contractor outreach and building community preparedness.
• MCE's Green Workforce Pathways program helps to build a skilled local workforce by connecting job seekers with career opportunities in the electrification industry.

Status: In-progress (ongoing)

This measure aims to target and increase promotional activities in neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-income, energy-burdened, and renting residents.

Progress highlights

Several active programs specifically engage underserved communities, including:

• BayREN's EASE Home
• BayREN's Multifamily Building Efficiency (BAMBE)
• Rising Sun's Green House Call program

The County's community engagement is supported by strong collaborations with groups like the Marin Commission on Aging, Community Action Marin, Canal Alliance, North Marin Community Services, and Habitat for Humanity.

Status: In progress

This measure supports adoption and implementation of the Marin Countywide EV Acceleration Strategy, which provides a coordinated framework for expanding EV charging, electrifying public and private fleets, and accelerating EV adoption across Marin.

Progress highlights

• 8 Marin jurisdictions (including the County) are participating in MTC-funded fleet electrification planning
• The County's fleet electrification transition plan is nearly complete
• The County's 2025 Green Building Ordinance update included new electric readiness and EV infrastructure measures which exceed the requirements in the California Building Code.

Status: In progress

A time-of-listing energy assessment policy would require that homeowners get an energy audit of their home before selling it, and share that information with potential buyers. Assessment reports also include recommendations for home upgrade that promote energy efficiency and electrification.

Progress highlights

County staff are currently evaluating the potential benefits and feasibility of a policy like this in Marin, and will soon make a recommendation as to whether the County should prioritize this as a building decarbonization strategy at this time.

Status: Monitoring/deferred

The goal of this action is to identify and test opportunities for coordinated neighborhood-scale electrification, including transitioning groups of homes or buildings away from gas service and reducing the need for continued investment in gas infrastructure.

Progress highlights

The County is monitoring implementation of SB 1221 and related neighborhood-scale electrification efforts across California. While a suitable project area has not yet been identified in unincorporated Marin, staff will continue to evaluate opportunities for Marin to participate as potential projects emerge.