The CF1R is your project’s Certificate of Compliance. It’s commonly referred to as a Title 24 report, Title 24 calcs, or even just “Title 24.” It lists the energy-efficiency features your project must include to meet Title 24, Part 6.
What is Title 24? Title 24 is the California Building Standards Code — 12 parts covering everything from structural to plumbing to fire. Your local building department (the Authority Having Jurisdiction, or AHJ) adopts it and can add stricter local amendments, but can’t weaken it. Part 6 is the Energy Code, and it applies to new construction, additions and alterations.
The CF1R is the pathway for your specific project to meet the Energy Code. Small or simple projects can use the prescriptive path — basically a checklist. Most new homes and ADUs use the performance path: an energy consultant uses your plans to build a computer model of the house and its projected energy use. The consultant is usually hired by the architect, but you and your contractor should be involved. The problem is you normally don’t hire a contractor until you have plans — but that’s another issue.
The model is compared against a “standard design” — the same house built to the code’s baseline requirements. Your design has to do at least as well. The current code scores it two ways:
Long-Term System Cost — what the home’s energy use costs California’s energy system over 30 years, weighted by when the energy is used.
Source Energy — how much fossil fuel is burned to power the home.
Every code cycle gets a little stricter — but the next one may not. Under AB 130, new residential building standards are on hold until June 1, 2031, so the 2028 code cycle is expected to change very little for homes.
Think of your project as a fish tank. The water has to stay at or above the line. Energy-saving features add water — more insulation, better windows, efficient equipment. Things that make the house less efficient take water out, like a big wall of west-facing glass to watch the sunset. West glass takes in the hottest afternoon sun in summer, while south-facing glass can let in useful heat in winter. It’s a balancing act that requires trade-offs:
More insulation = better heating and cooling.
More windows can help or hurt your project, depending on orientation and climate zone.
The type of fuel you use affects both scores, especially Source Energy.
All of this adds up to your project’s requirements. When it’s all said and done, what’s built must match what’s on the CF1R. The CF1R is signed and registered in CHEERS, the installers document their work on CF2R forms, and your ECC/HERS Rater verifies the required items on CF3R forms — the field verification often called Title 24 testing. The building inspector checks the rest. If something doesn’t match, you’ll need a CF1R revision before you can get your final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy — and finding that out at the end of the job is the expensive way.
Retain your ECC/HERS Rater early in the process. If you already have a CF1R, upload it here to get a detailed list of every Title 24, Part 6 requirement for your specific project. Want to know what each line on your CF1R means? Try the Interactive CF1R Guide.