CA AB1704

Requires the State Air Resources Board to determine whether lower embodied carbon building materials have reached cost parity with conventional building materials before implementing existing greenhouse gas reduction requirements for the building sector

If cost parity has not been achieved, the board must delay or suspend implementation of embodied carbon reduction provisions for at least 5 years, with the ability to continue extending the delay in 5-year increments until cost parity is reached

Amends existing law that requires a 40% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from building materials by December 31, 2035, making this target contingent on the cost parity determination

Applies to the existing framework for measuring carbon intensity of construction materials and the optional embodied carbon trading system that allows builders and manufacturers to trade emission credits

Affects construction projects of 5 or more residential units or 10,000+ square feet of nonresidential space that must submit life-cycle carbon assessments