Rep. Vargas Announces $10 Million for Chula Vista for New and Innovative Building Codes Grant to Save Consumers Money, Reduce Impacts of Climate Change

Rep. Vargas Announces $10 Million for Chula Vista for New and Innovative Building Codes Grant to Save Consumers Money, Reduce Impacts of Climate Change

SAN DIEGO - Today, U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) announced $10 million in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding for Chula Vista to help develop support frameworks to increase energy savings and improve compliance with the City's building performance standard. This funding is made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, which Rep. Vargas voted to pass in 2022.

Chula Vista was one of 19 state and local governments selected to receive grant funding to adopt and implement the latest energy efficient or innovative building codes. These improvements will help save residents and commercial building operators money on their utility bills.

"It's good to see $10 million in federal funding for Chula Vista to help lower energy bills and make our communities more resilient in the face of climate change," said Rep. Juan Vargas. "I'm proud to have voted for the Inflation Reduction Act to help lower costs, combat climate change, and ensure more direct access to critical technical assistance for communities just like ours so everyone can fully realize the benefits of this law."

Analysis from a National Lab shows that building energy codes make the electric grid more resilient and help save lives in climate-fueled extreme heat and cold and during extended power outages. Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which Rep. Vargas voted to pass in 2022, and administered through DOE's Office of State and Community Energy Programs, this grant is part of a suite of support, including formula funding to states and territories from the IRA and additional grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, that the DOE is providing to states, localities, territories, Tribes, and their partners to advance both traditional and innovative building energy codes resulting in more resilient, more-efficient, and better buildings across the country.

Building upon the groundwork laid by the initial set of selections from DOE's implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with respect to building energy codes, the 19 selectees funded by the IRA announced today will receive direct technical assistance to support the adoption and implementation of traditional energy codes, zero energy codes, and building performance standards.

###