Reduce Building Emissions

Context

Green building codes are essential in ensuring that anything built in Portland contributes to the goal of reaching zero emissions by 2050. There are nationally recognized certifications like LEED, and City of Portland initiatives to update standards for commercial, industrial, and multifamily homes and rental apartments. These buildings account for a significant portion of Portland’s greenhouse gas emissions. By creating new standards for these properties, which often house low- and moderate-income residents, Portland can reduce energy consumption, lower utility costs for residents, and ultimately help cut carbon emissions.

The City of Portland’s Climate Emergency Workplan outlined a path for Portland to reduce carbon emissions 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. This included decarbonization of the electrical grid through compliance with the state’s 100% Clean Energy bill, and adopting a building emissions reduction policy in Portland that is stronger than the state standards, both of which have been delayed as of mid-2026.

Portland is making some progress on electrification and building emissions reductions due to PCEF projects, but is not on track to complete the 2030 targets. In order to hit that benchmark, Portland needs to implement more aggressive reduction policies.

On the positive side, single family homes and commercial buildings over 20,000 square feet have been required to report energy efficiency to the City since 2018, and to the State as of 2022. For single family homes, this means displaying a Home Energy Score to officials and potential buyers, while commercial buildings must track their energy usage and report it in April of each year. 

At the state level, HB 3409 passed in 2023, which requires emissions reporting starting in 2028 for many building categories such as multifamily residential buildings, schools, dormitories, universities, and hospitals. Tracking emissions on a statewide level will take Oregon a step closer to identifying and implementing reduction measures. 

Finally, PCEF’s “Cooling Portland” program has a goal to install 25,000 heat pumps by 2026. The program has exceeded expectations every year, far outpacing the CEW goal of 15,000. 

Portland continues to be a leading city in sustainable building and LEED certifications; some recent great examples are the PAE Living Building, the Brewery Blocks, and the Metro Regional Center. 

Actions

1. Climate and Health Standards for Existing Buildings (CHSEB).
   • Pass a strong CHSEB, building emissions reduction policy for all buildings 20,000 square feet or larger, if it has not already passed.
   • Support strong rulemaking and implementation of the CHSEB. Rules should ensure that emissions reductions will occur in covered buildings by each benchmark date, and that the penalties for noncompliance are high enough to deter a “pay to pollute” attitude.
   • Protect tenants through maintaining strong renter rights and disallowing rents to increase due to compliance with the CHSEB.
   • Ensure penalties at least keep up with inflation.
2. Develop Climate and Health Standards for buildings from 5,000–19,999 square feet.
   • While the CHSEB intends to cover buildings 20,000 square feet and larger, Portland would do well to also have a policy for commercial and industrial buildings in the middle range, between 5,000–19,999 square feet.
   • Denver has a policy for this building size that requires a range of emissions reduction options, such as high efficiency lighting or switching to renewable energy sources (e.g., electrification).
3. Implement a Climate Pollution Fee modeled after the one passed in 2025 in Ashland, Oregon.
   • This fee disincentivizes new home developers from installing methane (“natural” gas) appliances in favor of electric ones by charging a fee. The fee is calculated based on the appliance’s lifetime emissions projection. Existing homes and buildings are not impacted by this measure. The program only reduces gas-emitting appliances in new homes. 
   • This policy works well as long as Oregon continues to make strides toward 100% clean energy. 
   • A Climate Pollution Fee would lower emissions to help Portland meet our goals, and ensure better indoor and outdoor air quality for residents. 
4. Continue promoting LEED certification for public buildings.
   • LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the world’s most widely used green building rating system making it a powerful environmental accountability tool. The City should continue to support and expand efforts to ensure that all new public buildings and major renovations aim for LEED Silver certification or higher.
   • Oregon has consistently ranked in the top 10 US cities for LEED-certified buildings. The Brewery Blocks are a group of 5 city blocks, and a few recent inspiring projects have been the Brewery Blocks in Pearl District (Block 2 was Gold recertified in 2024), the Metro Regional Center, and the PAE Living Building (the first commercial building to obtain this high designation).
5. Implement better cooling standards, including building retrofits and Right to Cooling. Heat Domes have become a more commonplace occurrence over the last decade, leading to dozens of deaths in the State. Currently the City of Portland has minimal to no standards to alleviate heat dome exposure. The City of Portland must implement the following:
   • Build more cooling shelters, or develop partnerships to open emergency shelters in existing buildings, so they are easily accessible. Particularly expand cooling access specifically to East Portland. 
   • Help retrofit buildings to be more energy efficient through continuing to support Portland’s Energy Friendly Homes program, aiding cost-burdened Portlanders to add more efficient energy systems. This will increase access to cooling technology as well as help tenants save on bills. 
   • Pass a Right to Cooling policy. Cities like Phoenix and Austin have implemented right to cooling standards, which require landlords to keep apartments at or below a certain temperature, typically 78-82°F. Portland should also go further, ensuring that a Right to Cooling also means: increasing urban canopies, ensuring access to cooling both day and night, and requiring an equitable approach in the implementation of cooling standards.

Case Studies

June Key Delta Center

• Bernard, Sara. “How an inspiring group of women built one of the greenest buildings in Portland.” Grist. August 17, 2015. 

Lincoln High School

• During the renovation of Lincoln High-School, the school was able to achieve LEED Gold certification. The high school now has solar panels generating electricity for the school, has very good energy efficiency, and was built using sustainable materials. It provides a good model and example for other public schools in Portland.
• Pitawanich, Christine. “A sneak peek inside the brand-new Lincoln High School.” KGW News. May 26, 2022.

Examples of right to cooling policies:

• “Dallas City Code, Section III, Chapter 27-11.” Cooling Ordinance. City of Dallas.
  • The landlord provides air conditioning but is protected against prosecution if at least one habitable room is 85°F when outside temperature is over 110°F.
• “Phoenix City Code, Chapter 39-5.” Cooling Ordinance. City of Phoenix. 
  • The landlord provides cooling of all habitable rooms and bathrooms with permanently installed cooling facilities. The maximum allowed indoor temperature is 82°F by air conditioning or 86°F by evaporative cooling.

Citations

“Ashland’s New Electrification Ordinance.” Ashland Climate Collaborative. February 24, 2025.

“Building Energy Performance Standards.” Oregon Department of Energy.

“Buildings 5,000-24,999 sq. ft.” Energize Denver Building Performance Policy. City of Denver. 

“Climate and Health Standards Stakeholder Engagement videos, building and tenant working groups.” Portland BPS channel. YouTube.

“Climate Emergency Workplan 2022–2025.” Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. City of Portland.

“Developing standards for rental apartments.” Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. City of Portland.

ENB-9.01 – Green Building Policy. City Code. City of Portland.

Freeman, Robin. “2023 Legislative Report.” Oregon Public Utilities Commission.

Kempe, Ysabelle. “Should tenants have a right to cooling? More cities say yes amid record heat.” Smart Cities Dive. August 20, 2024. 

Lau, Wanda. “Portland stays committed to large-scale climate action.” US Green Building Council.

“LEED Rating System.” US Green Building Council.

“LEED Scorecard.” US Green Building Council. 

 “Oregon State Profile and Energy Estimates.” US Energy Information Administration. May 15, 2025.