Portland City Council approved the policy in April 2015 and it requires commercial buildings 20,000 square feet and larger to incorporate the following practices:
- Track energy performance information using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®, a free web-based benchmarking tool that computes a performance score ranging from 1 to 100, comparable to other buildings with similar characteristics.
- Report this information to the City of Portland on an annual basis.
The policy covers approximately 1,000 buildings. It does not include residential properties, nursing homes, places of worship, parking structures, K-12 schools, industrial facilities or warehouses.
Commercial buildings are the largest source of carbon emissions in Portland
Portland isn’t the first city in the U.S. that has implemented this kind of policy: building energy benchmarking and reporting policies in 26 other U.S. cities—including the entire states of California and Washington—have proven to motivate investment in efficiency improvements that save money and reduce carbon emissions.
The policy:
- Advances the City’s Climate Action Plan objective to reduce the energy use of buildings.
- Helps building operators track energy use and identify options to improve efficiency.
- Reduces building owners’ energy costs.
- Provides market recognition for the most efficient buildings.
- Gives prospective buyers and tenants information to make informed decisions.
For more information about the policy or ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, contact the Energy Reporting Help Desk at energyreporting@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-7070.