BPS Library

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Better Buildings has put together a list of resources that can provide guidance on what to consider when setting a carbon-related goal and what data is needed to track it. The site offers several resources for target-setting, how to develop a greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) inventory, and how to track GHG data.

As cities design legislation such as BPS or benchmarking, they must consider the timing of the policies, how to prioritize building types and sizes, and how these design decisions will impact the city’s emissions. This paper addresses these questions for one particular US city: Seattle, Washington. A model of Seattle’s building stock was created with benchmarking and tax assessor data. It was then used to predict GHG emissions reductions due to different policy implementations for existing commercial and multifamily buildings.

This DOE guide offers tips on framing the energy data access discussion, understanding major stakeholders, identifying key issues, determining the forum for stakeholder engagement, and describing key elements of the engagement process

Summary of some of Boston's community engagement efforts related to inclusive building policies. 

Jurisdictions and Community-Based Organizations (CBO) can use this quick-reference guide, in conjunction with the full BPS Implementation Guide, to help them establish an empowered and well-resourced CAB.

List of resources to help navigate tools and procedures for tracking, reporting, and compliance with benchmarking and building performance standards.

This library gathers resources that provide information on the components of a BPS and the process for establishing this type of policy in a jurisdiction

Series of BPS-related resources that provide information on building performance standards, including a fact sheet on how cities can benefit from these policies.

Website with information to help building owners, tenants, and contractors make healthy, climate resilient, and low-carbon building improvements.

This Short Model BPS Law establishes broad goals and an equitable process by which stakeholders and one or more agencies will work together after passage to craft BPS rules to achieve shared goals. The streamlined law, and its greater reliance on rulemaking, make it particularly well suited for states passing a BPS.

This is a template for cities and states to develop building performance standards. It provides structural foundation that can be tailored to individual jurisdictions.

This document provides an overview of the following key areas for consideration when developing a BPS: 1. Target Setting 2. Implementation and Enforcement 3. Equitable Application and Compliance Support.

This document presents sample language that can be used by jurisdictions interested in drafting a comprehensive existing building performance policy that encompasses provisions for benchmarking, as well as additional actions beyond benchmarking. The model language, based on best practices that have been identified while working with many of the jurisdictions that have enacted successful policies, can be easily customized by policymakers to meet the unique needs of their city.

This document examines lessons from carbon policy and their applicability to building performance standards. Discusses policy in DC, NYC, and Tokyo. This report assesses the various tradeoffs and challenges of designing building performance standards (BPS) in order to facilitate compliance and promote cost-effectiveness.

Provides strategies for aligning new construction codes with BPS to facilitate a “lifecycle” approach to building performance and drive equitable decarbonization. Conclusions  include recommendations for core program components under an equitable BPS implementation model and how to connect a BPS to new construction codes, enabling both new and existing buildings of all covered types to consistently and predictably meet performance targets.

Provides an overview of building performance standards and offers information on key decision points to consider when designing a BPS.

Overview of the BPS development process, including considerations such as performance target-setting, implementation and enforcement timelines, equitable policy application, and compliance support.

Describes the varied roles that state and local decisions makers have in establishing existing building policies and opportunities to coordinate across jurisdictions.

This two-page needs assessment provides the industry needs to establish and implement the BPS from the market perspective.

This guide is intended to provide technical basis and resources to policymakers, building owners, facility managers, design professionals and ASHRAE members when developing and implementing a Building Performance Standard (BPS). The guide focuses on larger building types and scope of BPS as developed by leading U.S. cities and states. The guide covers BPS aimed toward reducing building operating energy use and resulting emissions.

This tool facilitates building performance reporting and benchmarking and the Energy Star score can also be used as the BPS metrics to set targets.

The BETTER tool identifies cost-saving energy and emissions reductions in buildings and portfolios without site visits or complex modeling.

This tool is a central database for city BPS data that merges information from Portfolio Manager, Audit Template, and other city datasets in one place.

This is an online portal which cities can use to collect standardized information about a building’s physical systems and recommended upgrades. Auditors use the mobile-friendly interface to submit data.

ComStock and ResStock are building stock-level diagnostic tools. States, municipalities, utilities and manufacturers can use them to identify high-impact improvements and make better program decisions.