LOS ANGELES — California recently updated their building efficiency standards, also known as Title 24 with changes that will become mandatory in January 2017. As a result, Green Technology, a nonprofit organization based in the Los Angeles-area, which helps to inform government decisions surrounding sustainability will hold multiple seminars at various locations throughout the state of California to discuss how the new standards could impact residential and commercial buildings.

Scott Blunk, an associate director of building science at Lowell, Mass.-based TRC Energy Services will be a featured presenter for Green Technology’s scheduled seminars. Blunk has experience working as a licensed general contractor, a HERS Rater, a GreenPoint Rater and a LEED certification specialist. He also has experience performing energy assessments on hundreds of buildings.

Green Technology is a nonprofit organization that works to improve and establish sustainability practices throughout California.

During the seminar, Blunk will discuss the how Title 24 or the California Building Standards Code strives to regulate the construction of buildings in California. He will also discuss how the new rules outline a number of energy-efficiency standards that impact everything from the building’s design, LED lights, HVAC systems and how builders must integrate and comply with these standards. The overall goal of these standards is to help buildings in California achieve the highest energy-efficiency ratings while preserving indoor and outdoor environments.

The first seminar will be held Jan. 13 in Los Angeles at the Moseley Salvatori Conference Center. The second seminar will be held Jan. 20 in San Jose, Calif., and the third seminar will be held Jan. 27 in Irvine, Calif. As of press time, the venues for the San Jose and Irvine seminars have not been announced.

By attending the seminars, participants can learn about the new changes and regulations while receiving five AIA continuing education credits (CEUs) and 0.5 International Code Council CEUs. Sessions also provide Build it Green CEUs and Construction Management Association of America renewal points. Each participant receives one credit per hour and will also receive a certificate of participation.

The building efficiency standards are also designed to reduce the amount of energy commercial and residential buildings use. All buildings designed and constructed this year will use about 28 percent less energy for lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, and water heating than those built to the 2013 standards, according to a report from Building Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings.

The building efficiency standards were first established in 1978 as a way to make commercial and residential buildings in California more environmentally sustainable. Since then the California-based Energy Commission is required by law to adopt new standards every three years.

To attend the sessions, participants must register through Green Technology’s website.