(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(b) As a condition of renewal, a licensee shall complete five hours of continuing education (CE) coursework on the subject of zero net carbon design that meets the criteria specified in this section during each two-year license renewal period prior to the license expiration date, or, if the license is delinquent, during the 24 months immediately preceding the date on which the licensee submits their delinquent renewal application. The board shall consider CE coursework incomplete and the licensee not in compliance with this section if, within 15 days of the board's notice of audit and written request, the licensee does not make available to the board the proof required by this section. For the purposes of this section “proof” shall mean any of the following:

(c) All CE course topics, subject matters, and course materials shall be pertinent to the practice of architecture as defined in Section 5500.1 of the code and the provision of an architect's professional services relating to zero net carbon design. Examples of zero net carbon CE coursework topics or subjects may include any one or combination of the following: energy efficient building systems, deep energy efficient retrofits of existing buildings, adaptive reuse, natural ventilation, daylighting, solar harvesting design, advanced energy efficiency strategies, including energy modeling, renewable energy strategies, embodied carbon analysis, CALGreen -- Title 24, Part 11, of the California Code of Regulations, renewable energy systems, climate sustainability, resilient design, and environmental justice.

(d) In addition to the requirements of subsection (c), CE courses shall meet the following requirements: (1) have curriculum that meets the educational objectives of providing training to licensees on the subject matter listed in subsection (c), (2) have subject areas or modules that are presented in a logically organized manner or sequence to participants, and (3) be presented by trainers or educators who meet the qualifications in subsection (f).

(e) A provider shall only issue a certificate of completion to a participant who:

(f) A provider must use trainers or educators with knowledge and expertise in zero net carbon building design or in the designing of carbon neutral and/or high-performance buildings or groups of buildings or structures and meet at least one of the following criteria:

(g) An architect shall not certify completion of the CE requirement of this section through self-teaching or self-directed activities. Teaching, instructing, or presenting a course on zero net carbon requirements shall not qualify as credit for fulfillment of the CE requirement of this section.

(h) A provider shall maintain for at least three years from the date of course completion records of participant attendance and course completion, including the information specified in section 5600.05(b) of the code, for each CE course participant.

(i) Within ten days from the completion of the course, a provider shall issue a certificate of completion to each participant, subject to the requirements of subsection (e). The certificate of completion shall include the information specified in section 5600.05(b) of the code.

(j) Upon written request by a licensee who is the subject of a CE audit, a provider shall issue within ten days of the date of the request a copy of the records specified in subsection (h). It shall be the responsibility of a licensee to obtain the records from providers if records are requested by the board and make those records available to the board. In addition, the licensee shall cooperate in the audit and investigation of the licensee's compliance with this section, including taking all steps required by the CE provider to authorize the release of information to the Board, including signing any authorization or consent to release the licensee's records of completion or coursework to the Board.

(k) A licensee not in compliance with this section shall remedy any deficiency of the CE requirements of this section by completing the coursework prescribed by this section for the prior renewal period during the current renewal period, in addition to completing the CE coursework required in this section for the current renewal period. Before the end of the current renewal period, the licensee shall provide to the board proof, as described in subsection (b), that the deficiency of CE credits has been remedied as prescribed by this section.