01Key facts / TL;DR
Yes, a new conditioned dwelling typically needs Part 6 design-compliance documentation for permit.
It depends whether prescriptive compliance or a supported performance model fits the proposed design.
No, preliminary option output is not automatically the final permit package.
It depends which form family applies when the project includes attached units or mixed use.
02A clear yes does not identify every required document
For new conditioned single-family construction, expect to demonstrate California Energy Code compliance before permit. The next question is how the actual building will demonstrate it and which coordinated records are needed. A lot address or a floor-area total alone does not establish glazing, assemblies, equipment or the compliance approach.
Where the single-family family applies, CF1R records design compliance. It is not the complete architectural, mechanical, electrical or structural package, and it is not a guarantee of permit approval. The documentation should match the actual proposed design and its responsible declarations. Required construction-stage installation and verification records follow separately.
This intent page helps decide when to engage and what information to provide. The detailed new-construction service explains staged preparation and deliverables after scope is established. Use that deeper resource for production planning rather than treating this yes/no answer as a substitute for design coordination.
03Choose the date and building category first
The 2025 California Energy Code applies to building-permit applications on or after January 1, 2026. Confirm the recorded application date with the AHJ and ask about expired permits, new applications or amended scope. Land purchase, planning entitlement, design commencement and construction start do not automatically establish the building-code edition.
A detached house, attached dwelling arrangement and multifamily building can lead to different form-family decisions. Do not select CF1R solely because the project is residential. If another dwelling, an ADU or a commercial area is involved, provide the building configuration and systems so the responsible team can confirm classification.
Also ask about applicable local requirements. A statewide performance result does not resolve every local energy layer or other permit discipline. Keep the agency’s directions with the application record rather than extrapolating from a neighboring project’s accepted design.
04Prescriptive or performance: what is the decision?
The prescriptive path demonstrates the applicable specified measures. The performance path uses approved software and applicable rules to evaluate the proposed design against the relevant baseline. Mandatory requirements remain under either approach. A performance model does not create unrestricted tradeoffs or excuse an unsupported product selection.
Ask the designer/preparer which approach can support the current design and what information is still open. Early modeling can inform glazing, assemblies and systems, but the resulting output must be identified as preliminary where inputs remain provisional. Final compliance documentation should reflect the selected, coordinated scheme.
Avoid paying for repeated final packages while fundamental selections remain unresolved. A defined option study can be useful before final preparation, but its deliverable and decision question should be clear. This page does not invent a passing margin or prescribe a universal design specification.
At the first review, ask what decision the analysis will support: comparing a glazing layout, checking an assembly choice or preparing the actual permit documents. Identify who will confirm each open input. A file named “final” is not evidence that those decisions were made, and an option-study assumption should not quietly become a construction specification. Record the selected scheme and communicate it to every affected designer.
Prescriptive versus performance guideEnergy-modeling options
05A new-home decision checklist
Prepare enough information to distinguish an early design conversation from a permit-ready request.
- +Application/site basis: address, reviewing agency, recorded or proposed application status, classification and climate zone from supported project information—not a county-wide guess.
- +Architecture: dimensioned floor plans, elevations, sections, orientation, conditioned areas and dwelling count; show any accessory or separate buildings clearly.
- +Envelope: window/door sizes and supported U-factor/SHGC, assemblies, insulation and roof information; identify alternatives rather than merging incompatible choices.
- +Systems: coordinated heating/cooling, ventilation, hot water and applicable PV/storage/readiness information from the responsible designers.
- +Decision status: identify selected, provisional and unknown inputs, current drawing revision and the actual requested deliverable. Attach any AHJ directions affecting scope.
06Worked decision: a concept model is not the permit evidence
ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY: an architect studies two window configurations for a proposed house. Equipment and insulation choices are provisional. A preliminary model can inform which option deserves further design work, but it is not represented as final documentation and supplies no guaranteed compliance outcome.
The owner later selects different windows and the mechanical designer finalizes systems. The preparer updates supported inputs, coordinates the report with the named drawing revision and identifies applicable registration and construction handoffs. Keeping the old output because it once looked favorable would leave the energy record inconsistent with the proposed building.
If the project also contains an ADU, do not assume one combined area value settles every dwelling’s documentation. Record buildings, units and systems and confirm the appropriate boundaries. A shared lot does not automatically make every building one model or one form package.
07ECC coordination is not a promise of included testing
Current required residential field-verification terminology is ECC, Energy Code Compliance. Older-cycle documents may refer to HERS. The selected measures determine applicable verification; do not assume every new dwelling needs the same tests or that no tests apply because a report has been prepared.
Where the single-family sequence applies, installers complete applicable CF2R and qualified ECC-Raters complete required CF3R. Identify participants, access and documentation handoffs before work is concealed. CF1R preparation and coordination do not perform installation, field testing, acceptance testing or registry operation.
If equipment or assemblies change during construction, notify the design/documentation team before relying on the original package. The actual installed design, accepted plans and required records should remain consistent. No consultant’s calculation controls City staffing, permit review or final acceptance.
08Six new-home decisions
Can I obtain the building permit first and prepare energy documents later?
New conditioned dwellings typically need applicable design-compliance documentation for permit review. Ask the AHJ about its submission instructions; do not assume construction-stage certificates can replace design records.
Does a planning approval establish my Energy Code edition?
Not automatically. Confirm the AHJ-recorded building-permit application date. Earlier design or entitlement activity is not by itself the controlling building application record.
Must every new house use performance modeling?
The applicable prescriptive or performance approach depends on the design and requirements. Ask which path is supported; both retain mandatory measures and require appropriate evidence.
Can a preliminary model be stamped “final” without updating selections?
No. Final documentation must match supported selected inputs and the coordinated drawing revision. Open assumptions should remain explicitly preliminary, not hidden behind an old favorable result.
Does CF1R preparation include the ECC-Rater visit?
No. Design preparation and required field verification are separate responsibilities. Confirm selected measures, qualified participants and applicable registration/installation records before construction handoff.
What changes when an attached second unit is included?
Provide the building arrangement, dwelling count and systems for classification and scope review. Do not assume a single-family CF1R or one combined model is appropriate for every attached or multifamily arrangement.
09Choose the next documentation step
Use the published residential/commercial square-footage menu to understand report pricing, then send a scoped request rather than assuming a full model is necessary. Field testing, acceptance testing, registry fees, CALGreen and AHJ permit fees are separate. Intake is not payment, production acceptance or permit approval. This is educational information, not legal advice; confirm the applicable requirements and documentation with the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).
Start with the Title 24 decision hubDo I need Title 24 for adu?Do I need Title 24 for solar?Do I need Title 24 for sb9?Do I need Title 24 for multifamily?Confirm the application’s code editionWhat to send for an energy reviewCF1R versus installation/verification recordsSee published PricingGet a Quote / upload plans