Editorial News Alert: Glendale Adopts New Heat-Pump or Energy Efficiency Mandates
Editorial News Alert
Glendale Adopts New Heat-Pump or Energy Efficiency Mandates
By Janet M. Gagnon
Chief Corporate Affairs Officer & SVP Government Relations
On November 18th, the Glendale City Council passed a new ordinance on a vote of 3-to-2 requiring duplexes, townhouses and single-family properties to install either a heat pump as the primary source for heating or conduct additional energy efficiency measures when replacing or newly installing an air conditioner for cooling. The new ordinance will be in effect on December 18, 2026.
AAGLA has been actively fighting against this ordinance since August by pointing out several fundamental flaws. First, the fact that there is NO COST DATA supporting the ordinance. In fact, the study by Frontier Energy, Inc. used by city staff to justify the drafting of the ordinance focuses entirely on the replacement of air conditioning with a heat pump for cooling purposes and NOT on the replacement of a furnace with a heat pump for heating purposes while still using air conditioners for cooling. This ordinance makes no sense as heat pumps can be used for both cooling as well as heating and is why the study focused on replacing air conditioners with heat pumps for cooling.
Second, it is completely illogical, confusing and inappropriate to base a new requirement for replacing a heating device (gas furnaces for heat pumps) on the replacement of a cooling device (air conditioner). This new requirement will catch many property owners off-guard as cooling systems and heating systems are typically completely separate devices unless a heat pump is being used for both cooling and heating (which this ordinance does not require). Due to the substantial disjointedness of the trigger being the replacement of an air conditioner forcing property owners to replace existing gas furnaces with heat pumps for heating (or conduct additional energy efficiency such as insulation, sealing of areas and ducting), this ordinance violates common sense and basic principles of good governance by tying these two very separate activities together.
Lastly, duplexes are multifamily properties by their very nature having two separate living areas. These vast majority of these properties are used for rental housing. As such any benefits over the “life of the system” in changing from a gas furnace to a heat pump that uses electricity is lost as the user and owner are not the same person. Thus, it would be extremely costly for owners to be forced to either change a functioning gas furnace or conditional additional energy efficiency measures as part of replacing the air conditioner. Further, switching from gas to electricity for heating would seriously harm renters that have to pay greatly increased utility costs for heating. AAGLA urged the City Council, at a minimum, to exclude duplexes from the ordinance.
Unfortunately, none of these glaring fundamental flaws were of concern to Council Members Ardy Kassakhian, Dan Brotman and Elen Asatryan who voted in favor of the ordinance with duplexes included. They were far more concerned with attempting to force property owners to replace working gas furnaces as soon as possible by reaching to the unrelated activity of replacing air conditioners for cooling. Mayor Ara Najarian and Council Member Vartan Gharpetian tried to stop this insanity but failed to secure a third vote with Council Member Ardy Kassakhian flipping from opposing the ordinance at prior meetings to suddenly supporting it.
Please note that a new air conditioning system must also meet several new requirements as well under the ordinance.
We urge all AAGLA members with duplexes in Glendale to familiarize themselves with this new ordinance and speak to a properly licensed HVAC professional prior to undertaking any installation or replacement of existing air conditioning units.
This article is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions regarding your property or specific leasing issues and the requirements of any legal changes described herein, please consult with an attorney.