Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, Tuesday announced $10 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding for Chula Vista to help “develop support frameworks to increase energy savings” and improve compliance with the city’s building performance standard.
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, according to a statement from Vargas’ office.
The improvements are intended to help save residents and commercial building operators money on their utility bills. The funding is made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed in 2022.
“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,” Vargas said. “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.”
Making buildings more energy-efficient not only can save on utility bills, but also alleviate strain on the electric grid, improving resiliency and “help save lives in climate-fueled extreme heat and cold and during extended power outages,” a statement from Vargas’ office read.
The grant awarded to Chula Vista is administered through the DOE’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs, and is part of a suite of support that agency is providing to advance building energy codes.
The 19 governments funded Tuesday will receive direct technical assistance to support the adoption and implementation of traditional energy codes, zero-energy codes and building performance standards.
City News Service contributed to this article.