Title 24 Climate Zone 3: ADU Requirements
What the 2025 California Energy Code's prescriptive package requires for a new detached ADU in Climate Zone 3, and how those requirements change the MEP design.
Where Climate Zone 3 is
Of the California places we cover, 72 are mostly in Climate Zone 3, across 8 counties: Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, Monterey County, San Francisco County, San Mateo County, Santa Cruz County, Solano County. Together they issued 14,104 ADU building permits from 2021 through 2025. Zones follow ZIP-code boundaries, so we confirm the zone from the project address before running the Title 24 report.
2025 prescriptive requirements for a new detached ADU
For a new detached ADU in Climate Zone 3, the 2025 prescriptive package sets these zone-specific targets.
| Windows | U-factor 0.27 or lower; SHGC No limit; total area up to 20% of floor area |
|---|---|
| Attic, high-performance option | R-30 ceiling; below roof deck: Not required |
| Attic, ducts-inside option | R-30 ceiling plus radiant barrier; ducts and air handler in conditioned space |
| Framed walls | Assembly U-factor 0.048 or lower |
| Cool roof | Not required |
| Whole-house fan | Not required |
| Space heating and cooling | Heat pump (other systems through the performance approach) |
| Water heating | Heat pump water heater; units of 500 sq ft or less, or one bedroom or fewer, have simpler options |
| Solar PV | kW = (floor area x 0.628) / 1000 + 1.12; none required under 1.8 kWdc (about 1,083 sq ft or smaller for a single ADU) |
An attached ADU or a garage conversion is an addition under the Energy Code, not new construction, so it follows the addition requirements instead. Solar PV is not required for additions.
Design temperatures across Climate Zone 3
The zone sets the energy targets, but the HVAC is sized from the local design temperature, and that varies inside a zone. Among the places we cover here, the 1% summer design temperature ranges from 74°F in Half Moon Bay to 89°F in Mill Valley, and the coldest winter design temperature is 22°F in Woodside. That spread is why we run a Manual J for each address instead of using a zone-wide rule of thumb.
Places in Climate Zone 3
| Place | County | Electric utility | ADU permits 2021–25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | San Francisco | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 1,354 |
| Oakland | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 1,186 |
| Salinas | Monterey | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 865 |
| Fremont | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 637 |
| Berkeley | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 548 |
| San Mateo | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 484 |
| Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 446 |
| Monterey | Monterey | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 446 |
| Richmond | Contra Costa | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 417 |
| Piedmont | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 409 |
| Menlo Park | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 398 |
| Alameda | Alameda | Alameda Municipal Power | 366 |
| Redwood City | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 354 |
| Pacifica | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 340 |
| Hayward | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 319 |
| Hillsborough | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 298 |
| Castro Valley (unincorp.) | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 263 |
| South San Francisco | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 258 |
| San Leandro | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 236 |
| Burlingame | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 221 |
| Pacific Grove | Monterey | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 218 |
| San Bruno | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 213 |
| Daly City | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 207 |
| Watsonville | Santa Cruz | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 196 |
| Atherton | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 184 |
| Vallejo | Solano | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 178 |
| Union City | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 172 |
| San Carlos | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 171 |
| Seaside | Monterey | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 169 |
| El Cerrito | Contra Costa | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 145 |
| Newark | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 130 |
| Belmont | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 128 |
| Carmel-by-the-Sea | Monterey | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 123 |
| El Sobrante (unincorp.) | Contra Costa | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 113 |
| Mill Valley | Marin | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 112 |
| Soledad | Monterey | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 107 |
| Woodside | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 100 |
| Albany | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 97 |
| Half Moon Bay | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 94 |
| Gonzales | Monterey | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 92 |
| Emeryville | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 89 |
| San Pablo | Contra Costa | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 85 |
| Capitola | Santa Cruz | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 81 |
| Marina | Monterey | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 80 |
| Tiburon | Marin | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 78 |
| Aptos (unincorp.) | Santa Cruz | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 71 |
| Corte Madera | Marin | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 66 |
| Millbrae | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 59 |
| Foster City | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 57 |
| San Lorenzo (unincorp.) | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 57 |
| Sausalito | Marin | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 56 |
| Ashland (unincorp.) | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 54 |
| Portola Valley | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 53 |
| Belvedere | Marin | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 44 |
| Pinole | Contra Costa | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 43 |
| Scotts Valley | Santa Cruz | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 35 |
| Cherryland (unincorp.) | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 35 |
| Castroville (unincorp.) | Monterey | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 33 |
| Brisbane | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 32 |
| Kensington (unincorp.) | Contra Costa | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 31 |
| Rodeo (unincorp.) | Contra Costa | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 27 |
| Fairview (unincorp.) | Alameda | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 27 |
| Del Rey Oaks | Monterey | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 24 |
| Soquel (unincorp.) | Santa Cruz | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 20 |
| Moss Beach (unincorp.) | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 17 |
| Hercules | Contra Costa | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 15 |
| Bolinas (unincorp.) | Marin | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 9 |
| El Granada (unincorp.) | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 8 |
| Montara (unincorp.) | San Mateo | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 8 |
| Felton (unincorp.) | Santa Cruz | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 6 |
| Ben Lomond (unincorp.) | Santa Cruz | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 5 |
| Stinson Beach (unincorp.) | Marin | Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) | 5 |
Sources
- 2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24, Part 6), Section 150.1(c) and Table 150.1-A
- 2025 Single-Family Residential Compliance Manual (CEC-400-2025-005)
Requirements shown are the 2025 prescriptive package (effective January 1, 2026) for newly constructed single-family buildings, which includes new detached ADUs. A performance (computer-modeled) approach can trade some items against others. Your Title 24 report confirms what applies to your project.
Need MEP plans and a Title 24 report in Climate Zone 3?
We prepare both from the same design, so the energy model and the equipment on the plans agree.
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