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Existing Buildings

Existing buildings account for 75% of U.S. electricity consumption. The DDPP reports call for a drastic reduction of GHG emissions attributable to buildings, ranging from 87% to 96% depending upon the scenario. Because buildings have long useful lives, the only way to achieve the goal is to retrofit a majority of our existing buildings. The chapter discusses six legal pathways that, when used in combination, may accomplish the objective: energy audits; mandatory retrofit laws; energy-efficiency performance standards for new buildings; voluntary certification systems; switching from fossils fuels to low-carbon electricity; and financing programs.

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Top Ten Resources on Existing Buildings: To help users take a brief survey of some of our favorite materials from this pathway, the MCLI team has drafted a "Top 10" resources list for state and local governments trying to address Existing Buildings. Check it out here.

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143 resources

Resource States and State Governments

RMI report, State Energy Policy in a Land of New Federal Opportunity

The Rocky Mountain Institute offers this 2024 guide to new and expanded federal funding programs, and highlights opportunities for states to pass and pay for clean energy policies. The report highligh...
Example Local Governments

Cupertino’s Electrification Ordinance

The City of Cupertino adopted an electrification ordinance in late 2019 to align with the city’s climate action plan to reduce carbon emissions 83% by 2050. It applies to residential and commercial ne...
Example Local Governments

Salt Lake City Energy Benchmarking & Transparency Ordinance

Salt Lake City’s Energy Benchmarking and Transparency Ordinance requires all commercial buildings above 25,000 sf to benchmark and report their energy consumption. Beginning in 2020, Salt Lake City wi...
Resource Local Governments

Building Electrification Initiative

The Building Electrification Initiative is a project of The Innovation Network for Communities, a nonprofit organizing communities to respond to climate change. The BEI supports pilot strategies to sc...
Example States and State Governments

Zero-Emission Residential Buildings Memorandum of Understanding

In January, 2024, nine states signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishing the goal that 65 percent of all new residential HVAC and hot water heating systems use electric heat pumps by 2030...
Resource States and State Governments

Missouri Home Improvement Tax Deduction

In July 2008 Missouri enacted legislation (codified at Mo. R.S. 143.121(8)) allowing homeowners to take an income tax deduction (up to $1000, or $2000 for couples) of the cost of home energy audits an...
Resource Local Governments

Model Ordinance Language and Decision Framework for Improving the Performance of Existing Buildings

This 2018 model law presents sample language that can be used by jurisdictions interested in drafting a comprehensive existing building performance policy that encompasses provisions for benchmarking,...
Example States and State Governments

New Mexico Low Income Energy Efficiency Grant Program

In February 2022, New Mexico enacted a law that creates a grant program to implement energy efficiency measures in low-income households. HB 037 authorizes a county, municipality, Indian nation, tribe...
Example Local Governments

Atlanta’s Benchmarking and Auditing Requirements

Atlanta’s Code of Ordinances (2016) requires both energy benchmarking and auditing. Benchmarking is required for city-owned buildings over 10,000 sf or certain classes of buildings over 25,000 sf. The...
Example Local Governments

Executive Order on Comprehensive Energy Management of Salt Lake City Facilities

In addition to benchmarking requirements, the Comprehensive Energy Management of Salt Lake City Facilities Executive Order (2015) requires further energy audits, retrocommissioning, building operator ...
Resource Congress

The Inflation Reduction Act

New: The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and Environmental Defense Fund are announcing the launch of an additional resource on the Inflation Reduction Act Tracker website: the IRA litigation case ...
Example States and State Governments

Washington’s State Energy Benchmark Law

In addition to benchmarking requirements for private buildings, Washington’s State Energy Benchmark Law (2009) put in place strict requirements for public buildings, including mandatory investment-gra...
Example States and State Governments

Colorado’s HB 1286 (2021)

This bill requires owners of certain large buildings to collect and report to the Colorado energy office the covered building’s energy use. On or before June 1, 2027, a covered building owner demonstr...
Resource Executive Branch

Los Angeles’ Digital Twin

Cityzenith, a Chicago-based digital twin platform, is partnering with the Los Angeles branch of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge to help construct a digital twin, or virtual ...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE Report, Programs to Electrify Space Heating in Homes and Buildings

This 2020 report from ACEEE provides an updated review of state and local electrification programs, focusing on space heating, which is the largest use of fossil fuels in buildings. It provides progra...
Resource Local Governments

Report, Green Roof and Wall Policy in North America

This 2019 report from GreenRoofs.org outlines regulations, incentives, and best practices for encouraging green roofs in localities.
Example Local Governments

Boulder’s Comfort365 Program

Boulder’s Comfort365 program combines education and outreach, active marketing, and financial incentives to drive heat pump adoption. The City of Boulder and Boulder County spearheaded the program, pr...
Example Local Governments

Boulder Building Performance Ordinance

The Boulder Building Performance Ordinance (2015) requires owners of commercial and industrial buildings to: annually rate and report the energy use of their buildings; perform periodic energy assessm...
Example States and State Governments

Maryland’s Low-Income Carveout in Efficiency Funding

In April 2022, both houses of the Maryland legislature passed legislation that would steer energy efficiency funding more towards low-income residents. The existing EmPOWER Maryland program requires i...
Example Local Governments

Bay Area Ban on New Gas Water Heaters and Furnaces

In March 2023, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District board banned the sale of gas water heaters in the Bay Area in 2027, and new gas furnaces in 2029. Officials emphasized the rules only apply ...
Example Local Governments

Devens MA’s Policy for Construction of Vegetated Roofs

Devens, MA’s Industrial Performance Standards for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Projects state that industrial sources that require an air quality permit must have a vegetated roof that covers at least 40...
Resource Congress

Report, Building electrification: Steps to start now amid an uncertain future

This 2021 report from ICF explores topics related to building electrification and how the existing energy landscape in different jurisdictions presents a variegated set of policy choices. Topics cover...
Example Local Governments

Concord MA Cluster Zoning

Amherst MA’s cluster zoning provisions allows cluster developments reduced minimum lot sizes and requires fifty percent of land be perpetually maintained as open space for agriculture, parks, recreati...
Example States and State Governments

California’s Gas Transition Pilot Projects Law

California’s SB 1221 will allow some neighborhoods in need of new gas lines to go all-electric instead — with new electric appliances provided at no cost to residents. The new law will spur up to 30 n...
Example Local Governments

Los Angeles Residential Cool Roof Ordinance

In 2013, Los Angeles made updates to its green building code that include a reflectivity requirement for new and replaced residential roofs. The ordinance requires low-slope roofs to have a minimum th...
Example States and State Governments

California Building Electrification Awards and Resources

This legislation would require the California Energy Commission to publish guidance and best practices to help building owners, the construction industry, and local governments overcome barriers to el...
Example Local Governments

Philadelphia Cool Roof Law

This 2010 bill requires cool roofs on new commercial low-sloped buildings.
Resource Executive Branch

National Building Performance Standard Coalition

The National Building Performance Standards Coalition comprises a nationwide group of state and local governments that have committed to inclusively design and implement building performance policies ...
Example Local Governments

Seattle’s Building Emissions Performance Standard

Under Seattle’s BEPS, signed into law in December 2023, all existing commercial and multifamily residential buildings over 20,000 square feet will need to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Compliance ...
Example Local Governments

Gold Beach OR Tiny Home Zoning

Gold Beach OR Ordinance No. 660 permits the use of a tiny home as a separate single-family dwelling in an existing residential zone, requiring a total square footage of between 200 and 600, on the sam...
Resource Private Entities

Report, The Impact of Fossil Fuels in Buildings

The Rocky Mountain Institute’s 2019 report, The Impact of Fossil Fuels in Buildings, offers a crash course in direct building emissions, showing where they come from and how they fit into the overall ...
Example Local Governments

DC’s Building Energy Performance Standard (2018)

DC’s Building Energy Performance Standards were set forth in Title III of the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018. The Act states that, starting in 2021, owners of buildings over 50,000 square feet th...
Example Local Governments

Ann Arbor’s Zoning for Accessory Dwelling Units

Ann Arbor, MI approved zoning amendments that greatly relaxed the requisite standards for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). ADUs can now be designed to match either a single-family residence or a detac...
Resource Local Governments

Report, A Practical Guide to Cool Roofs and Cool Pavements

This 2012 report from the Global Cool Cities Alliance was developed for a range of audiences to help speed a transition to cool roofs and pavements. The guide covers the climate benefits of cool roofs...
Example States and State Governments

Colorado’s Executive Order D 2015-013

Colorado’s Executive Order D 2015-013 (2015) directs the Greening Government Leadership Council to work with all executive state agencies and departments to reduce weather normalized energy consumptio...
Example Local Governments

Austin’s Energy Conservation and Disclosure Ordinance

In addition to audit requirements, Austin’s Energy Conservation and Disclosure Ordinance (2008) requires multifamily properties that use 150%+ of average energy use for similar properties to conduct r...
Resource States and State Governments

RAP Report, Regulatory Solutions for Building Decarbonization

RAP’s 2020 report, Regulatory Solutions for Building Decarbonization: Tools for Commissions and Other Government Agencies, focuses on electrification as the central decarbonization solution: replacing...
Example Local Governments

Berkeley’s Energy Savings Ordinance (No. 7397)

Berkeley’s Energy Savings Ordinance (No. 7397)(2015) requires energy assessments at time of sale for medium, small, and single family buildings, and will phase-in all buildings by building size and ye...
Example States and State Governments

Massachusetts’ Act to Advance Clean Energy (2018)

In 2018, Massachusetts enacted An Act to Advance Clean Energy, which expanded the scope of electric energy efficiency to include measures designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of...
Example Local Governments

New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act (2019)

New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act is an umbrella term for a set of laws, including Local Laws 92 and 94 (established through Int. 0276 and Int. 1032), which require certain existing building ro...
Example States and State Governments

Hawaii DOT ESPC

The Hawaii Dept. of Transportation completed a $245M contract for deep energy efficiency retrofits, the largest single-state ESPC in the US, with Johnson Controls. The project will target and generate...
Example Local Governments

St. Louis’ Building Energy Performance Standard (2020)

St. Louis’ BEPS will require large commercial, multi-family, institutional, and municipal buildings (50,000 sq. ft. and above) to reduce energy use in order to meet an energy performance standard by M...
Example States and State Governments

Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act (2022)

In March 2022, both houses of the Maryland legislature passed the Climate Solutions Now Act, which calls for Maryland to reduce GHG emissions by 60% (compared to a 2006 baseline) by 2031 and for the M...
Example Local Governments

San Jose’s Energy and Water Building Performance Ordinance

In addition to benchmarking requirements, San Jose’s Energy and Water Building Performance Ordinance (2018) requires auditing for buildings that do not meet performance standards (including an Energy ...
Example Local Governments

Fresno CA’s Zoning for Tiny Homes and Accessory Dwelling Units

The Fresno, California zoning code permits use and construction of tiny homes as permanent dwellings and provides for second dwelling units, backyard cottages, and accessory living quarters as a speci...
Example States and State Governments

Washington’s Clean Buildings Act (2019)

Washington’s Clean Buildings Act (2019) requires the State Commerce Department to set a state energy performance standard target (measured in Energy Use Intensity, or EUI) for each building type by 20...
Example Local Governments

D.C.’s Healthy Homes and Residential Electrification Amendment Act

In April 2024, the DC Council approved a Healthy Homes and Residential Electrification Amendment Act, which sets DC on a course to replace fossil-fuel powered appliances and home heat with electric ap...
Example Local Governments

Bonita Springs’ Green Building Program

Bonita Springs’ Green Building Program (2012) incorporates the LEED Program for Homes standards, the current Green Home Designation, and the current Energy Start Certified New Home requirements, as we...
MCLI Resource

LPDD Top Tens: Existing Buildings

For those in search of a shortcut through the vast LPDD database, we're proud to highlight a subset of our most useful pathways for state and local government leaders on existing buildings.
Example Public Utilities

SMUD Building Electrification Incentives

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), an electric-only utility, is implementing a portfolio of programs aimed at zeroing out its carbon footprint by eliminating natural gas from buildings ...
Example States and State Governments

Maine’s LD 1766

Maine’s LD 1766 “An Act To Transform Maine’s Heat Pump Market To Advance Economic Security and Climate Objectives,” establishes the Heating Fuels Efficiency and Weatherization Fund, which has the goal...
Example States and State Governments

Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank’s Efficient Buildings Fund

The Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank’s Efficient Buildings Fund provides attractive, long-term financing to municipalities and quasi-public agencies to finance energy retrofits in public buildings tha...
Example Local Governments

Evanston IL Healthy Buildings Ordinance

The City of Evanston, Illinois, is the first government to pass a Building Performance Standard in 2025. The HBO will cover commercial and multifamily buildings over 20,000 square feet, condominiums o...
Resource Local Governments

Building Electrification Primer for City-Utility Coordination

The Building Electrification Primer for City-Utility Coordination was written to support cities in cultivating effective partnerships with utilities to accelerate the transition to building electrific...
Example States and State Governments

Colorado Clean Heat Legislation

This law requires each Gas Distribution Utility (GDU) to file a clean heat plan with the PUC. A plan must demonstrate how the GDU will use clean heat resources to meet clean heat targets established b...
Resource Private Entities

RMI Report, The Economics of Electrifying Buildings: Medium-Size Commercial Retrofits

Commercial buildings generate about 16 percent of energy-related CO2 emissions in the United States and about half of the total emissions from the building sector. Furthermore, direct fossil fuel comb...
Resource States and State Governments

Massachusetts Proposed Act Driving Climate Policy Forward

In March, 2022, the Massachusetts Senate unveiled a sweeping climate bill aimed at helping the state meet its net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal by 2050, which had been previously stipulated in 20...
Example Public Utilities

SMUD’s Avoided Carbon Metric for Efficiency

Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the publicly owned utility in California’s capital city, has changed its energy-efficiency metric from avoided electricity consumption to avoided carbon dioxide ...
Resource States and State Governments

Institute for Market Transformation

The Institute for Market Transformation is a Washington, DC think tank that works to catalyze widespread and sustained demand for high-performing buildings. They work in partnership with businesses, p...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE Report, Mandating Building Performance Standards

ACEEE’s 2020 report, Mandatory Building Performance Standards: A Key Policy for Achieving Climate Goals, makes the argument that policymakers need to adopt building performance standards to compel ene...
Example States and State Governments

Oregon’s Commercial Building Energy Performance Standard

As part of Oregon’s 2023 legislative climate package, the state advanced a commercial building energy performance standard. The standard would break the commercial sector down into two tiers with vari...
Resource States and State Governments

Sierra Club Report, Building Electrification Action Plan for Climate Leaders

This 2019 action plan from the Sierra Club outlines the technical challenges and benefits of building electrification, particularly in California. It provides decision-makers and staff in state and lo...
Resource Local Governments

Model Code for Accessory Dwelling Units

The editors of www.accessorydwellings.org drafted a model zoning code that ensures ADUs are small and discreet, while also providing enough latitude in their creation that they actually get built. Com...
Example Local Governments

Lexington MA Accessory Dwelling Unit Zoning

Lexington MA’s zoning code permits Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) so long as they are located in the principle dwelling, the gross floor area does not exceed 1,000 square feet, and there are no more ...
Example Local Governments

Orlando Benchmarking and Auditing Requirements

In addition to benchmarking requirements, Orlando’s Ordinance 2016-64 requires buildings owners to conduct an energy audit or retrocommissioning every five years, unless their building receives an ENE...
Resource States and State Governments

Report, Building Better Building Performance Standards

This 2022 comment from the Guarini Center on the Environment, Energy, and Land Use offers recommendations regarding the choice of metrics in Building Energy Performance Standards. Its recommendations ...
Resource States and State Governments

Vermont Clean Heat Standard Legislation

In March, 2023, the Vermont Senate approved landmark legislation to create a Clean Heat Standard. The bill, S05 (2023), set up a system designed to fund the transition to “clean heat measures,” such a...
Example Local Governments

Baltimore County Cluster Zoning

Baltimore County’s zoning regulations establish several zones designed to preserve rural resources. Cluster development is required in some cases for the subdivision of land in certain “Resource Conse...
Example Local Governments

San Francisco’s Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance

In addition to benchmarking requirements, San Francisco’s Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance requires ASHRAE Level 2 energy audits every five years for commercial buildings ove...
Example States and State Governments

Massachusetts’ Building Energy Usage Disclosure

A lesser-known provision of the Massachusetts legislature’s 2022 An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind created M.G.L. ch.25A §20, which requires the reporting of energy usage data for building...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE Report, State Policies and Rules to Enable Beneficial Electrification in Buildings through Fuel Switching

ACEEE’s 2020 report reviews state-level efforts promoting electrification of space and water heating as a building decarbonization tool. Electrification has the potential to reduce buildings-sector em...
Example Local Governments

Amherst MA’s Cluster Development Rules

Amherst MA’s Zoning Bylaw provides a detailed ratio for “developed land” to “common land” in Amherst’s Cluster Developments. For every dwelling unit, the code requires 2,000 square feet of usable comm...
Example States and State Governments

Alaska’s HB 374

HB 374, signed into law in 2018, enables utilities to offer customers on-bill financing agreements to finance measures such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage devices. Also eli...
Example Public Utilities

California Fuel Substitution Test

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) established the Fuel Substitution Test in August 2019 (Decision 19-08-009). The test clarifies how to demonstrate that an existing building measure do...
Example Local Governments

Philadelphia’s Building Energy Efficiency Tuneup Requirement

Philadelphia’s Bill 190600 (2019) mandates all non-residential buildings over 50,000 square foot get tune-ups to bring their energy and water systems to their highest efficiency, or submit a certifica...
Resource States and State Governments

EE4All report, Equitable Building Electrification

The Equitable Building Electrification Framework report explains the steps that California must take to ensure that electrification helps close the clean energy gap and provides relief to millions of ...
Resource Local Governments

Berkeley Proposed Tax on Natural Gas in Large Buildings

In November 2024, residents of Berkeley, CA, will vote on a ballot measure that proposes taxing the owners of buildings of 15,000 square feet or larger based on the amount of natural gas consumed each...
Example Local Governments

Boston’s Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance

Boston’s Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (2013) requires that buildings report energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and water use to the city using Portfolio Manager (or an equival...
Resource Local Governments

Report, Building Electrification: How Cities and Counties Are Implementing Electrification Policies

The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project’s July 2020 report analyzes 12 case studies and surveys the different policy options before local communities before offering model code language on building el...
Resource States and State Governments

Report, Toward Tradeable Building Performance Standards

Toward Tradeable Building Performance Standards offers a qualified defense of emissions trading programs in general, and suggests that tradeable credits in Building Energy Performance Standard program...
Resource States and State Governments

California New Gas Heater Ban

In September 2022, the California Air Resources Board voted to ban the sale of new natural gas furnaces and heaters by 2030. Homes will be required to install zero-emissions alternatives, like electri...
Resource Local Governments

IMT Model Building Performance Standard Ordinance

The Institute for Market Transformation’s (IMT) model ordinance for a building performance standard (BPS) benefits from lessons learned from the four jurisdictions (District of Columbia, New York City...
Example States and State Governments

Oregon’s Executive Order 17-20

Oregon’s Executive Order 17-20 calls for high performance energy use targets in remodels of all existing state buildings, a ten year plan to maximize energy efficiency in all affordable housing stock,...
Example Local Governments

Reno’s Energy and Water Efficiency Program

In addition to benchmarking requirements, Reno’s Energy and Water Efficiency Program requires that all buildings not receiving an Energy Star score of at least 50 must conduct an energy audit and retr...
Resource States and State Governments

RAP Report, The Clean Heat Standard

This 2021 RAP report outlines a potential Vermont-based performance-based program, the Clean Heat Standard (CHS), that would reduce GHG emissions and fossil heating costs in Vermont buildings. The pro...
Resource Private Entities

Report, Beyond Guaranteed Savings

In a 2013 report, Oak Ridge National Laboratory reports that ESPCs commonly underestimate the amount of savings that actually accrues to site owners due to deep energy efficiency retrofits. This is du...
Example Local Governments

Denver’s Green Building Ordinance

Denver’s Green Building Ordinance requires new buildings, new additions to buildings and existing buildings with a certificate of occupancy that are 25,000 sf to have a cool roof and comply with one o...
Example Local Governments

Ann Arbor’s A2Zero Plan

Approved in June 2020, Ann Arbor’s A2Zero plan lays out an ambitious strategy to shift away from using fossil fuels and power the community with 100% renewable energy within 10 years, while significan...
Example Local Governments

Columbus Benchmarking Ordinance (2020)

Columbus OH’s Energy and Water Benchmarking and Transparency Ordinance (2020) requires new energy benchmarking, including requiring building owners to report data on building size, energy usage and ut...
Resource Local Governments

Report, Residential Retrofits for Energy Equity Playbook

This resource is designed as a tool for program administrators at community-based organizations and government offices seeking to establish, improve, or expand building energy upgrade programs for low...
Example Executive Branch

General Services Administration ESPCs

US General Services Administration issued a report on government efforts to undertake deep energy retrofits using energy services performance contracts with outside contractors. The report highlights ...
Example Local Governments

Seattle’s Heating Oil Tax

Through Council Bill 119607, the city imposed a new tax on the sale of home heating oil, saying the action will combat climate change by encouraging residents to move quicker to clean heating systems....
Resource Executive Branch

EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager tool

EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager tool is designed to measure and track energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions, for either one or a whole portfolio of buildings. This leve...
Resource Local Governments

WegoWise database

WegoWise maintains a database of US city benchmarking ordinances.
Resource States and State Governments

Report, A Comparison of Clean Heat Standards: Current Progress and Key Elements

This February 2024 report surveys the emerging field of Clean Heat Standards (CHS) across the United States, including two enacted programs and several pieces of proposed legislation. It offers a comp...
Resource Local Governments

RPC’s Model Accessory Dwelling Code

The Rockingham Planning Commission developed a model accessory dwelling code, including detailed explanations for specific provisions contained in a model ordinance.
Example States and State Governments

Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard

Fuel-switching efforts by Vermont utilities have been driven by the state’s 2015 Renewable Energy Standard (RES, Act 56), which addresses building electrification and comprises three components or tie...
Example Local Governments

Los Angeles’ Existing Buildings Energy and Water Efficiency Program

In addition to benchmarking requirements, Los Angeles’ Existing Buildings Energy and Water Efficiency Program requires public, non-residential, and multifamily buildings to conduct energy and water au...
Resource States and State Governments

Colorado SB 264 (2021)

The bill requires each gas distribution utility to file a clean heat plan with the public utilities commission (PUC). These plans must demonstrate how the utility will use clean heat resources to meet...
Example Local Governments

Seattle’s Building Energy Benchmarking and Reporting Program

In addition to benchmarking requirements, Seattle’s Building Energy Benchmarking and Reporting Program (2010) requires “tune-ups” of nonresidential buildings greater than or equal to 50,000 gross squa...
Resource Local Governments

Macarthur report, Energy Efficiency as a Tool for Preserving Affordable Rental Housing

The MacArthur Foundation’s commissioned report, Energy Efficiency as a Tool for Preserving Affordable Rental Housing, outlined public-sector policies for energy efficiency in multifamily rental housin...
Resource States and State Governments

RAP’s Building Modernization Legislative Toolkit

The Regulatory Assistance Project, with collaborators at RMI, ACEEE, IMT, ReSolve and New Buildings Institute (NBI), have prepared a 2023 Building Modernization Legislative Toolkit. The toolkit is mea...
Resource Executive Branch

Federal Building Performance Standards and Proposed New Building Rules

In December 2020, the CEQ and DOE announced complementary policies applying to new and existing federal buildings. For new or newly renovated federal buildings, DOE announced a new proposed rule to he...
Resource Local Governments

Report, Strategies for Massachusetts Municipalities to Implement Net Zero Building Mandates

This 2019 paper from the Emmett Environmental Law & Policy Clinic at Harvard examines legal complexities that Massachusetts towns and cities must navigate when mandating reductions of greenhouse gas e...
Example Public Utilities

Mass Save Heat Pump Incentives

Mass Save, a collaborative effort led by the state’s investor-owned utilities and the Cape Light Compact, provides incentives for heat pumps in Massachusetts. It operates a comprehensive set of statew...
Example Local Governments

Des Moines WA’s Accessory Living Quarters Zoning

Des Moines WA’s zoning code permits one accessory living quarter (ALQ), at least 350 square feet of living space, per residential lot. ALQs help increase neighborhood densities, which diminishes deman...
Example Local Governments

Boulder’s SmartRegs Program

Boulder’s SmartRegs program is a 2010 building performance standard that requires all rental housing in the city to demonstrate that it is about as efficient as buildings built to the 1999 Energy Code...
Resource Local Governments

Universal Model Building Code Language for Cool Roofs

This 2012 universal model code language from the Global Cool Cities Alliance project defines key terms, measurement protocols and procedures, and calls for cool roof performance requirements in line w...
Example Local Governments

New York’s “City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality” Initiative

The New York City Council approved the “City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality” plan in December 2023, a set of citywide zoning changes making it easier to install a variety of distributed energy resources...
Resource Private Entities

RMI Deep Retrofit Tools for Developers and Property Owners

The Rocky Mountain Institute catalogs tools and resources for developers and property owners to project techniques and savings related to deep energy retrofits, including energy software tools, financ...
Resource Local Governments

Annapolis, MD Clean Energy Loan Program

The Annapolis Clean Energy Program finances and encourages energy efficiency projects and renewable energy projects with an electric generating capacity of not more than one hundred kilowatts. On the ...
Resource Congress

Proposed CLEAN Future Act (2020)

The proposed Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation’s (CLEAN) Future Act (2020) is a large, economy-wide climate bill released by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Among ...
Resource Local Governments

Form-Based Codes Institute

The Form-Based Codes Institute (FBCI) is a professional organization dedicated to advancing the understanding and use of form-based codes. Form-based codes focus on matching scale of development, allo...
Example Public Utilities

Tennessee’s Energy Right Program

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), in partnership with local power companies, actively promotes electrification and fuel switching through its EnergyRight programs. Certain local power companies ha...
Resource Private Entities

Model Climate Clause for Title Reports

Standard Title Reports for the acquisition of property do not include statements relating to the future risks of climate change that may affect the property. The Chancery Lane Project, a collaborative...
Resource States and State Governments

Massachusetts Clean Heat Report

This 2022 report from the Massachusetts Commission on Clean Heat (created in response to a 2021 Executive Order) recommends the creation of a Massachusetts Clean Heat Standard (CHS) and outlines progr...
Example Local Governments

New York’s Executive Order 88

New York’s Executive Order 88 requires that public buildings of more than 20,000 sf benchmark their energy consumption annually. Buildings that receive low scores are required to undergo ASHRAE Level ...
Example States and State Governments

Hawaii’s Benchmarking and Retrocommissioning Requirements

In addition to benchmarking requirements, Hawaii’s HB 1464 requires retrocommissioning on public buildings at least every five years.
Example Congress

Proposed Zero Emissions Homes Act (2021)

This 2021 bill seeks to provide rebates for the purchase and installation of electric appliances and equipment in single-family homes and multifamily buildings, with additional support for low- and mo...
Example States and State Governments

Colorado’s Gas Planning Pilot Communities

Colorado’s HB 24-1370 requires the Colorado Energy Office to identify five gas planning pilot communities. These communities will target neighborhood-scale alternatives projects, which will seek to de...
Example States and State Governments

Hawaii Law Maximizing Energy Efficiency of Public Buildings

In July 2022, Hawaii adopted HB 1801, which requires and establishes deadlines for state facilities to implement cost-effective energy efficiency measures. The Hawaii State Energy Office must collect ...
Example Local Governments

Chiply FL’s Cluster Zoning

Chiply FL’s cluster zoning rules require that cluster developments preserve fifty percent open space in exchange for reducing the minimum lot size from one dwelling unit per ten acres, to two dwelling...
Example Local Governments

San Anselmo LEED Requirements

The San Anselmo Code of Ordinances (2010) requires LEED certification for certain new construction and renovations. New construction between 2,000 and 4,999 square feet must meet any LEED standard, pr...
Resource Private Entities

ASHRAE Advanced Design Guide Series

The ASHRAE Advanced Design Guide series offers contractors and designers tools, including recommendations for practical products and off-the-shelf technology, for achieving a 30% energy savings compar...
Example Local Governments

Ithaca’s Energy Efficiency Retrofit and Thermal Load Electrification Program

In November 2021, the city of Ithaca, New York, voted to decarbonize and electrify buildings in the city by the end of the decade. Ithaca is the first U.S. city to establish such a plan, which the cit...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE Report, Building Electrification: Programs and Best Practices

This 2022 ACEEE report analyzes 42 programs to electrify buildings in the residential, multifamily, and commercial sectors and identifies trends, common approaches, and best practices. Though these pr...
Example Local Governments

Jamestown RI Cluster Development

Jamestown RI’s zoning stipulates that, within three of the region’s largest zones, clustered development is required for any subdivision of land over five acres. The planning commission will only appr...
Example States and State Governments

DOE Model Energy Savings Performance Contract

An Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) defines a project and establishes how it will be implemented during construction and how it will be managed through the entire term of the agreement, addr...
Resource Private Entities

National Association of Energy Service Companies

The National Association of Energy Service Companies leads the energy services industry in promoting, developing, and advocating for the central role of energy efficiency as part of a comprehensive na...
Example Local Governments

NYC’s Green Roofs Policy

Local laws 92 and 94 of 2019 established NYC’s green roofs requires. New buildings and existing buildings undergoing major renovations in specific occupancy groups defined in the New York City Buildin...
Example States and State Governments

Colorado HB 1238 (2021)

The bill updates the methods used to determine the cost-effectiveness of demand-side management (DSM) programs of public utilities selling natural gas at retail, including requiring that the calculati...
Example Local Governments

Montgomery County’s Proposed BEPS (2021)

In July 2021, the Montgomery County, MD, Executive proposed new legislation (Bill 16-21) that will expand the number of buildings covered by the County’s Benchmarking Law and require the use of less e...
Example States and State Governments

Colorado’s SB 246 (2021)

The bill directs the PUC to establish energy savings targets and approve plans under which investor-owned electric utilities will promote the use of energy-efficient electric equipment in place of les...
Resource Local Governments

Evansville ESPC

Evansville and Johnson Controls completed a contract for deep energy efficiency retrofits, valued at $39M initial investment, with a 20 year payback. The project addresses lighting, HVAC, controls, va...
Example Local Governments

NYC’s Benchmarking, Auditing, and Retrocommissioning Requirements

NYC Local Laws 133 (2016), 33 (2018), and 87 (2009) establish benchmarking, auditing, and retrocommissioning requirements for buildings in the city. NYC’s Local Law 133 (2016) requires owners of large...
Example Local Governments

Bellingham WA Building Electrification Ordinance

In February 2022, Bellingham City Council approved an ordinance to require new commercial buildings and new apartment buildings more than four stories high to use electricity for heating and water hea...
Example Local Governments

Thurston County’s Planned Rural Residential Developments

Thurston County, WA’s Code of Ordinances allows landowners to apply to create a “Planned Rural Residential Development” (PRRD). PRRDs require the creation of a “resource parcel.” The size and use of t...
Resource Congress

Report, Bringing Infrastructure Home: A 50-State Report on U.S Home Electrification

Rewiring America’s June 2021 report, Bringing Infrastructure Home: A 50-State Report on U.S Home Electrification, highlights the benefits of household electrification in terms of climate, household sa...
Resource Local Governments

Report, Guidelines for creating community-driven building retrofit programs

This report showcases how cities in the US can implement building decarbonization policies and programs in an equitable manner while also incorporating a broader set of community priorities and needs ...
Example Local Governments

New York’s S03585

New York’s S03585 requires gas and electric utilities to make available to landlords or lessors, upon request of prospective tenants or lessees, information concerning gas and electric charges incurre...
Example States and State Governments

Connecticut’s SB356

This bill directs the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to use available federal or other funds to establish an energy efficiency retrofit grant program. The program must a...
Example Public Utilities

New York Clean Heat and Building Efficiency Funding

In January 2020, the New York State Public Service Commission has approved a set of energy efficiency and electric heat pump targets to reduce energy consumption in New York. The Order established a t...
Resource States and State Governments

ASHRAE’s Procedures for Commercial Building Energy Audits

ASHRAE publishes Procedures for Commercial Building Energy Audits. These standards describe three levels of energy audits, which are frequently cited in defining the scope of a required energy audit.