California Benchmarking & BPS Policy News
Building Performance Standards Policies Under Development in California
Refer to our Understanding Benchmarking and BPS Policy in California page for more information on existing benchmarking (and beyond) programs.
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BPS News
California: The California Energy Commission (CEC) published its draft BPS strategy report in early July. The report recommends adoption of a statewide BPS policy for buildings currently covered by AB 802 Benchmarking requirements (most buildings 50,000 square feet and larger). Local jurisdictions would be allowed to adopt BPS policies for buildings not covered by the state’s policy.
The CEC recommends requiring buildings to achieve performance targets for both On-Site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) and On-Site Greenhouse Gas Intensity (GHGI), with a variety of flexibility options, including a portfolio option.
This report reflects a strategy only. Authority to implement a BPS requires further legislation. You can read the report and find more information on the CEC’s Building Energy Performance Strategy webpage.
West Hollywood: The City of West Hollywood adopted the Equitable Building Performance Standards (EBPS) policy on December 1, 2025, which requires buildings 20,000 square feet and larger in the city to submit energy use data to the City and achieve energy use and greenhouse gas emissions performance targets over time. Now the City has released a covered buildings list, performance targets, and other guidance for the program.
Approximately 330+ buildings are covered by this policy, which requires Benchmarking to begin this year (due September 15, 2026) and Total Greenhouse Gas Intensity performance targets to be achieved beginning in 2027.
You can read the administrative guidance and begin benchmarking at West Hollywood’s EBPS program page.
Overview of Policies Under Development
California (statewide) - posted a draft BPS strategy report on July 7, 2026, pursuant to SB48 (Becker, 2023)
Berkeley - committed to developing a BPS policy
City of Los Angeles - in the very early stage of working with a contractor to develop a BPS policy for buildings
County of Los Angeles - developing a BPS policy and a “County Accelerator” technical assistance program for building decision makers
Sacramento - adopted an existing building electrification strategy that includes a commitment to develop BPS standards
San Diego - has been exploring the development of a BPS policy
San Francisco - currently developing a BPS policy and conducing stakeholder outreach
Santa Monica - has developed a draft BPS ordinance for consideration by the City Council. Adoption was deferred from late 2025 to Fall 2026. The draft policy would start with buildings 50,000 square feet and larger and phase in buildings larger than 20,000 square feet after five years, with many details to be worked out in a rule making process
Jump to a jurisdiction for more details: Berkeley, Los Angeles (City), Los Angeles (County), Sacramento, San Diego (City), San Francisco, Santa Monica.
Policies in Detail by Jurisdiction
California
Status: Pre-policy development
Under SB48 (Becker, 2023), the California Energy Commission (CEC) has been tasked with researching a potential Building Energy Performance Standards policy, conducting stakeholder analysis, and drafting a report for the state legislature by August 1, 2026. The CEC is behind schedule but posted a draft of the California Building Energy Performance Strategy Report on July 7, 2026.
A public workshop was held on July 29. The public comment period closes on August 21. A final draft of the report may be completed later this year.
The report is only a first step. In order to implement a BPS, the state legislature would need to pass additional legislation.
If the legislature passes this legislation, the CEC’s draft strategy report recommends that the policy apply to buildings currently covered by the AB802 benchmarking requirement (most buildings 50,000 square feet and larger) and use both OnSite GHGI and Site EUI metrics with a final performance deadline of 2045 and interim targets every 5 years. The CEC further recommends using a trajectory approach, which gives each building its own pathway for performance improvements based on a baseline of the building’s own performance, averaged over several years. The policy would also include alternative compliance pathways offering flexibility for building owners to accommodate capital investment cycles, equipment useful life, and tenant needs.
Berkeley
Status: Early policy development.
The City of Berkeley has committed to developing Building Performance Standards as a participant in the National BPS Coalition. Benchmarking has been required since 2018, under the Building Emissions Saving Ordinance.
City of Los Angeles
Status: Early policy development.
Los Angeles proposes to strengthen its current Existing Buildings Energy and Water Efficiency (EBEWE) ordinance to drive deeper emissions reductions in alignment with the LA Green New Deal and the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The standard would apply to privately owned buildings 20,000 square feet or larger and city-owned buildings 7,500 square feet or larger—covering only a small percentage of the city’s building stock but accounting for a significant share of emissions.
In August 2024, the Department of Building and Safety released a report on BPS strategy. In December 2024, the City Council directed the department to continue development of the BPS policy and to conduct stakeholder engagement, with specific instructions to provide time extensions for affordable and rent-stabilized housing, and provide additional recommendations to minimize negative impacts to property owners, small businesses, and tenants.
The Department is in the very early stage of working with a contractor to develop the BPS policy.
County of Los Angeles
Status: Early policy development.
Los Angeles County is developing a Building Performance Standard and has been holding stakeholder engagement sessions.
The County is also working on a support mechanism for building owners, and released a report in May 2025 on establishing a Retrofit Accelerator program for Los Angeles County. This report was in response to a December 2024 Board of Supervisors motion directing the Internal Services Department to prepare “a program proposal and funding plan for a free technical and financial advisory service administered by SoCalREN that would support building decisionmakers with identifying, planning, and funding energy efficiency, clean energy, heat mitigation, electric vehicle, and water conservation projects.” The Retrofit Accelerator, once launched, may offer services including technical assistance, contractor matchmaking, access to incentive programs, workforce training, and performance verification.
Sacramento
Status: Early policy development.
The City of Sacramento has committed to developing Building Performance Standards as a participant in the National BPS Coalition. Sacramento’s Existing Building Electrification Strategy went into effect in May 2024, outlining a strategy to reach two goals: (1) electrification of all existing buildings by 2030 and (2) net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. This strategy notably includes the development of Building Performance Standards. No draft of the BPS ordinance is publicly available as of 9/17/25, but the Existing Building Electrification Strategy directs a draft to be worked on in 2025-2026.
City of San Diego
Status: Early policy development
A part of the national Building Performance Standards Coalition and in support of their Climate Action Plan, San Diego has been exploring a Building Performance Standard policy through working group meetings. Little information about the details of such policy are currently available online, but the jurisdiction’s progress can be tracked on their climate dashboard.
San Francisco
Status: Policy development and stakeholder engagement.
San Francisco has conducted some initial stakeholder engagement and is currently developing a BPS policy.
Santa Monica
Status: Policy adoption.
Santa Monica is developing a Clean and Healthy Existing Buildings Ordinance (CHEBO), aimed at requiring existing buildings greater than 20,000 sq ft to progressively reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The policy supports the city's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, which targets an 80% reduction in emissions below 1990 levels by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. Energy consumption in existing buildings accounts for 33% of citywide emissions, making this policy a key lever for climate progress. The draft ordinance was expected to be voted on by City Council in 2025, but the vote was delayed and is now expected in September 2026.
The original draft included a policy implementation date of June 2026, with compliance cycles of five years, starting with buildings 50,000 square feet and larger and phasing in buildings larger than 20,000 square feet in the second compliance cycle.
Many details, including the metrics (energy use and/or greenhouse gas emissions) and alternative compliance mechanisms would be solidified in a rule-making process once the ordinance is adopted.