ProGov21 Policy Library

Lean, Energy-Efficient Buildings: Seven Principles

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source The Project For Lean Urbanism

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Energy, Community Development, Housing

The built environment accounts for approximately half the energy use and carbon footprint of the United States. Lean Buildings reduce energy flows by tapping basic natural heating and cooling techniques and renewable energy sources in ways that are region-specific and climate-sensitive....

Assessment of Residential and Small Commercial Air-Source Heat Pump (ASHP) Installation Practices in Cold-Climates

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2017

Level State

State(s) All States

Source Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships

Policy Areas Energy, Environment & Natural Resources, Housing

In cold climate regions, the installation of air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) to homes can reduce energy consumption, cost, and emissions. However, poor installation practices may undermine these benefits. This report outlines best practices to inform contractors installing ASHPs in...

Building Energy Performance Standards Policy Considerations

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year -

Level City or Town, State

State(s) All States

Source Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships

Policy Areas Data & Technology, Energy

Building energy performance standards, or BEPS, are policies which require building owners to meet certain energy targets in order to reach city-wide emissions goals and to disclose their building data publicly. Before developing these standards, it is critical to have quality data,...

Insights into Building Performance Standards in the Northeast Region

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2024

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania

Source Acadia Center

Policy Areas Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

Buildings are one of the top emitters of greenhouse gas emissions. Communities should implement Building Performance Standards (BPS) to enhance energy efficiency and reduce emissions in commercial and multifamily buildings. BPS are linked to broader climate goals and environmental...

2009 New York City Local Law 84 Benchmarking Energy and Water Usage

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2009

Level City or Town

State(s) New York

Source New York City Council

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Energy

This local law establishes the New York City building energy benchmarking program. Each city-owned building and covered building shall be benchmarked annually. Such information shall be made available to the public, including summary statistics on the energy utilization index, water...

2015 Energy Benchmarking Report: San Francisco Municipal Buildings

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town

State(s) California

Source San Francisco Water Power Sewer

Policy Areas Energy, Community Development, Public Spaces, Environment & Natural Resources

This fifth annual report details the energy performance of 468 San Francisco municipal facilities encompassing nearly 49 million square feet of building area during calendar year 2015. San Francisco began to benchmark its properties in 2011, when the San Francisco Existing Commercial...

2012 Seattle Ordinance 123993 Benchmarking Energy Efficiency

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2012

Level City or Town

State(s) Washington

Source Seattle City Council

Policy Areas Energy, Housing

This ordinance requires building owners to measure, report, and disclose their buildings' energy efficiency performance ratings....

Montpelier Home Energy Information Ordinance & Vermont Home Energy Profile

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2021

Level City or Town

State(s) Vermont

Source Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships

Policy Areas Energy, Environment & Natural Resources, Housing

Montpelier's Home Energy Information Ordinance requires sellers in the City to provide a Vermont Home Energy Profile (VHEP) label when listing a home for sale. The label is intended to provide key home energy insights for residents, potential home buyers, sellers, real estate professionals,...

Healthy Housing Local Action Challenge

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2022

Level City or Town

State(s) New Jersey, New York

Source Institute for Youth, Education, and Families

Policy Areas Community Development, Environment & Natural Resources, Health, Housing

Unsafe and unhealthy housing conditions undermine residents' health and economic stability, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. The Healthy Housing Local Action Challenge (HHLAC) supports cities in advancing equitable housing programs through technical assistance,...

2012 Minneapolis Ordinance Benchmarking Energy and Water Usage

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2012

Level City or Town

State(s) Minnesota

Source Minneapolis City Council

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces, Energy

This ordinance establishes the Minneapolis building energy benchmarking program. It requires each city-owned building and covered building to be benchmarked for the previous calendar year. Such information shall be made available to the public, including summary statistics on the...

Centering Equity with Metrics: How to Incorporate Equity and Justice in Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2022

Level City or Town, State

State(s) All States

Source Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships

Policy Areas Energy

This NEEP report identifies six ways that policy makers and program administrators can identify, embed, and evaluate progress towards energy equity in energy efficiency programs through the evaluation, measurement, and verification process....

Appliance & Equipment Efficiency Standards: A Roadmap for State & Local Action

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2017

Level Other Boards and Agencies

State(s) All States

Source Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Energy

For decades, federal energy and water efficiency standards have demonstrably saved consumers money, reduced pollution, and increased grid reliability. Recently, however, the political winds have shifted. Immediately upon taking office, the Trump Administration refused to publish in...

Net Zero Energy Roadmap for the City of Burlington, Vermont

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level City or Town

State(s) Vermont

Source City of Burlington, Vermont

Policy Areas Community Development, Energy, Transportation & Mobility

Pollution and energy inefficiency are exacerbating the global climate crisis, but cities can pass local policies to address these issues. The City of Burlington, Vermont launched the net-zero-energy program in 2018 to eliminate fossil fuel use by the ground transportation and heating...

Paying For Water Systems

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Mayors Innovation Project

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Finance & Procurement

Many public water utilities struggle to pay for repairs and upgrades necessary to improve energy efficiency, reduce leaks, and prevent infiltration. This brief outlines existing mechanisms to raise these funds as well as promising new methods for public officials to consider. Some...

2009 New York City Local Law 88 Energy Efficient Utilities

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2009

Level City or Town

State(s) New York

Source New York City Council

Policy Areas Public Spaces, Energy

This ordinance requires lighting systems to be upgraded and sub-meters to be installed in certain covered buildings based on square footage. It also requires that each tenant or subtenant within a covered tenant space that has a sub-meter to measure electrical consumption shall be...

Demanding Better Energy Information: Cities address market failure for energy upgrades

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2012

Level City or Town, City or Town

State(s) Ohio

Source Policy Matters Ohio

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Economic Justice, Energy, Democracy & Governance

This report emphasizes the importance of providing better energy information to renters, buyers, owners, and operators of buildings. By arming them with this information, they can make more informed choices, differentiate between properties, and determine whether energy upgrades are...

2006 Boulder Carbon Tax Ordinance 7483

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2006

Level City or Town

State(s) Colorado

Source City Council of the City of Boulder

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Finance & Procurement

This ordinance imposes the Climate Action Plan Tax as an excise tax upon persons consuming electricity as residential, commercial, or industrial customers. The tax shall be imposed upon the basis of each customer’s consumption of electricity measured in Kilowatt/Hours. The purpose...

2008 San Francisco Ordinance 080406 Preventing Excess Energy Consumption in Commercial Buildings

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2008

Level City or Town, County

State(s) California

Source City and County of San Francisco

Policy Areas Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

This ordinance requires commercial building owners to turn off non-essential lighting between 11 PM and 6 AM to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainability. Non-essential lighting includes lighting used for advertising or aesthetic purposes. Building owners must post signs...

Energy Savings Performance Contracting

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year 2011

Level City or Town

State(s) All States, Wyoming

Source U.S. Department Of Energy

Policy Areas Energy, Community Development, Public Spaces, Environment & Natural Resources

U.S. Department of Energy fact sheet guide to Energy Savings Performance Contracting for governments....

The Path to Carbon Dioxide-Free Power: Switching to Clean Energy in the Utility Sector

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2003

Level National

State(s) All States

Source Tellus Institute

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources

This report explores a range of national policies to increase energy efficiency, accelerate the adoption of renewable energy technologies and shift energy use to more efficient power systems while reducing the electricity bills of consumers and businesses. The policies considered...

Local Technical Assistance Toolkit: Lead by Example

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Policy Areas Energy, Public Spaces, Environment & Natural Resources, Economic Justice, Democracy & Governance

This toolkit outlines how local governments can implement "lead by example" programs that reduce energy consumption and emissions, foster markets for sustainable products, encourage green building standards, and promote economic development. It provides a guide for developing facility...

2010 King County Ordinance 16927 Energy Efficiency and Emissions Reduction

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2010

Level County

State(s) Washington

Source St. Paul City Council

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces, Energy

This ordinance requires developers of county capital improvement projects to submit a strategic energy-efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction plan that includes options for reducing emissions; improving energy efficiency; identifying financial incentives for achieving energy...

A Short Guide to Setting Up a City-Scale Retrofit Program

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2009

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Center on Wisconsin Strategy, Green for All

Policy Areas Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

This policy brief explains how local governments can design and implement retrofitting and/or renovation programs that make homes more energy efficient. It also presents strategies for capturing financial savings from retrofits, creating high-quality green jobs, and ensuring that...

Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Performance Based Regulations

Type Act or Session Law

Year 2020

Level State

State(s) Hawaii

Source Hawaii Public Utilities Commission

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Energy

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has issued a decision and order adopting a comprehensive framework of utility regulations to align Hawaii electric companies’ financial interests with Hawaii’s clean energy goals and customer needs. The performance-based framework adopted by...

2021 New York City Local Law Int. No. 2478 Office of Climate Resiliency

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2021

Level City or Town

State(s) New York

Source New York City Council

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources

This local law would establish an Office of Climate Resiliency, headed by a Director of Climate Resiliency. The Director would be responsible for developing policies and programs relating to climate resiliency measures in the City, educating the public about such climate resiliency...

ProGov21 Policy Library

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