Citing hundreds of lives lost to extreme heat each year, California state housing officials are urging lawmakers to set residential cooling standards long opposed by landlords and builders who fear such a measure would force them to make big-ticket upgrades.
In a 60-page report sent Monday to the Legislature, the California Department of Housing and Community Development recommended lawmakers set a maximum safe indoor air temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit for the Golden State’s estimated 14.6 million residential dwelling units.
“This is a big deal,” said C.J. Gabbe, an associate professor of environmental studies at Santa Clara University. “We’re seeing more and more concerns about the increase in heat-related morbidity and mortality in California, which is leading to these kinds of maximum indoor temperature guidelines.”…