BPS Library

This document is intended to serve as a resource for states, cities, and other jurisdictions who are considering adopting a building performance standard (BPS) and want to better understand what is feasible within the context of their jurisdiction. It provides information on key considerations for developing a BPS.

Implementing a successful Building Performance Standard or benchmarking program requires accurate and comparable building data. The first step is to develop a “Covered Buildings List” (CBL), which consists of all the buildings covered by the BPS or benchmarking regulations developed by the jurisdiction, for example, all commercial buildings greater than 50,000 square feet. This document provides an overview of the process and key considerations for developing a CBL. It is intended for BPS or benchmarking policy administrators and implementers to help plan the process and level of effort needed to develop CBL. It does not provide detailed technical guidance on data processing.

This guide provides an overview of the Standard Energy Efficiency Data (SEED) Platform™. The SEED Platform devel-oped by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to provide a low-cost, user-friendly tool for jurisdictions to launch and manage energy benchmarking and Building Performance Standard (BPS) programs. While some jurisdictions use SEED to manage their BPS end to end, others integrate additional software solutions to organize data and communicate with stakeholders.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are developing a series of technical briefs supporting national, state, and local initiatives to update and advance building energy codes. This technical brief presents recommendations for changes that may be incorporated into energy codes to facilitate future compliance with the building performance standard (BPS) policies that a newly constructed building has to meet once it is occupied. It provides background on the basis and benefits of the proposed changes and model code language that can be inserted into ASHRAE Standard 90.1 or adapted into other energy codes.

Building Performance Standards (BPS) are a rapidly growing tool used by jurisdictions across the United States to decarbonize buildings. In most places, buildings comprise the largest energy users. BPS reduce energy use and carbon emissions, with the added benefits of saving money, improving air quality, and creating jobs. However, because BPS policies can require significant investment in buildings, there is a risk of unintended consequences. This document introduces the key risks to consider when planning a BPS as well as mitigation strategies and case studies from jurisdictions around the country.

Standardizing and streamlining the audit documentation process can help Building Performance Standard (BPS) program managers achieve consistency in compliance and aid individual building managers to document and implement building efficiency improvements more effectively. This document describes how the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Audit Template tool can play a key role in managing BPS compliance over time by allowing standardized energy audit data collection, reporting, and management of multiple compliance cycles.

As building performance standards (BPS) gain traction across the US, jurisdictions large and small are faced with the challenge of implementing and administering these new policies. This guide is specifically tailored for jurisdictions that are ready to dive into the details of how to structure, implement and administer a newly enacted BPS, along with best practices from jurisdictions that are on the forefront of BPS implementation efforts.

This document provides an overview of key considerations for aligning a building performance standard (BPS) and energy code. It is intended for BPS policymakers and implementers to understand questions such as: Why align BPS and energy code? How do code compliance paths affect future BPS compliance? What strategies can be used to ensure alignment between the two policies?

This document provides an overview of the process and key considerations for developing a Covered Buildings List (CBL) for a Building Performance Standard (BPS). It is intended for BPS or benchmarking policy administrators and implementers to help plan the process and level of effort needed to develop a CBL. It does not provide detailed technical guidance on data processing.

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.

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

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.

The Asset Score tool assesses the energy efficiency of a building's physical systems and produces an Energy Asset Score Report.

Website describing how DOE tools can be used to support BPS policies, among other things.

Overview of funding streams to help with a variety of tasks related to BPS, from technical assistance to building upgrades themselves.

A useful resource hub for that provides a list of ways to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in buildings, primarily for building owners. 

Website describing how DOE tools can be used to support BPS policies, among other things.

The U.S. DOE Better Buildings has put together a list of resources to help navigate tools and procedures for tracking, reporting, and compliance with benchmarking and building performance standards.

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.

This map shows the list of jurisdictions that have passed a BPS and key characteristics of their policy, including the performance metric used, the building types covered, and implementation timeline.