BPS Policy Guidance

Building Performance Standards: Policy Guidance for Local California Jurisdictions

Across California, cities and counties are seeking practical, scalable ways to reduce emissions from existing buildings while supporting economic vitality, affordability, and good local jobs. Nationally, Building Performance Standards (BPS) have emerged as one of the most effective tools for meeting this challenge.

To support BPS implementation in California, USGBC-CA facilitates the CalBPS Peer Learning Collaborative, a forum for cities and counties to align on policy and best practices. With guidance from the Collaborative, we have now released BPS policy guidance for local California jurisdictions to address the number one request from stakeholders — policy consistency across jurisdictional borders.

Read on for an overview of the policy, or click here to download the full policy guidance. The guidance will be supplemented by model ordinance language in coming months.

Building Performance Standards Are:

For Large Existing Buildings: 20,000 square feet and larger
Performance-Based: based on annual reporting of energy use, not models or prescriptive requirements
Aligned With Long-Term Climate Targets: typically require changes over 15 or more years, aligned to California’s climate commitments
Flexible: BPS provide multiple compliance pathways rather than a single fixed timeline to allow building owners to decarbonize in the most cost-effective way for their building

Read the Full Policy Guidance

Click here to download the full policy guidance.

Questions or Feedback?

We welcome your comments, questions, or concerns. Please contact us using the Hub contact form.

A Policy By California, For California

This model BPS policy guidance was developed with the guidance of the California BPS Peer Learning Collaborative (CalBPS PLC), a program of USGBC California that brings together staff from 50 local government organizations, the California Energy Commission, and a number of other organizations to collaborate on development of BPS policies. The Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), which published a national model BPS ordinance in 2021, also provided valuable insight and feedback.

This policy guidance reflects the collaborative effort to establish a shared policy framework that provides flexibility for local needs while providing general consistency across jurisdictions and to the extent possible with a future statewide BPS.

Key Policy Goals:

Consistency with best practices and across the state
Clarity & Simplicity of policy design and compliance requirements
Minimize Implementation Costs for building owners and jurisdictions
Protect Affordability for building owners
Ensure Equity for all stakeholders by avoiding negative impacts for tenants
Set Realistic Targets while maintaining long-term ambition to reduce buildings’ contribution to climate change
Reward Good-Faith Efforts with flexible compliance mechanisms

The Policy Guidance

California BPS should be designed to encourage efficient electrification by requiring properties to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions produced on the property and to achieve a reasonable level of energy efficiency.

This model BPS policy has two parts: (1) Annual benchmarking requirements starting in year 1, and (2) performance targets that increase in stringency and are enforced every year after an initial benchmarking-only period. The performance targets use two metrics based on a property’s greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency.

The policy includes a benchmarking only period to give building owners time to plan and undertake actions to reduce emissions and improve efficiency as needed. When interim performance targets kick in, the first targets are designed to be relatively easy to achieve, then increase in stringency over time on a five year cycle toward the final targets. All performance targets are meant to be published within the first year of the policy.

The policy includes flexibility. Temporary exemptions, time extensions, and target modification options are available. These include special options for affordable housing and a portfolio option for large building owners.

Our Call To Action

We encourage cities and counties to use this guidance as a starting point—to begin internal conversations, engage stakeholders, and move from exploration to implementation. USGBC California stands ready to support jurisdictions through peer learning, technical assistance, and continued collaboration as California builds a coordinated, effective approach to building performance.

Together, we can modernize our buildings while we reduce emissions at scale, create jobs, and deliver healthier, more affordable communities across our state.