The multi-agency Built Environment Efficiency Working Group is tasked with implementing Governor Kate Brown's Executive Order 17-20, a directive to improve the built environment in our state.
Executive Order 17-20
In November 2017, Governor Kate Brown signed two Executive Orders (17-20 and 17-21) with specific directives to state agencies to improve energy efficiency, boost electric vehicle adoption, and support actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state.
The Governor’s Executive Order No. 17-20 focuses on the built environment – specifically, residential, commercial, and public buildings across the state. Emissions data show that residential and commercial buildings – especially their electricity and other energy consumption – are a large greenhouse gas contributor. Reducing energy use and increasing efficiency will help lower emissions from the built environment.
Putting the Executive Order into Action
July 2022
| 3(B): Carbon-Neutral Operations for New State Buildings
| DAS/DEQ/ODOE Publish Guidance Memo
|
February 2020
| 3(C): DAS to update policies for behavior-based efficiency
| Directive Completed:
Energy and Resource Conservation Statewide Policy
|
January 2020
| 5(C): ODOE and PUC are directed to support and assist private sector partners in
efforts to coordinate sharing of data that shows projected energy use
reductions in the region.
| Directive Completed:
Coordination of Data Summary Report
|
December 2019
| 6: ODOE and BCD, in consulation with DAS, PUC, and OHCS are directed to adopt a cost-analysis tool by December 1, 2019.
| Directive Completed:
Cost Analysis Protocol
Cost Analysis Tool
|
October 2019
| 4(D): BCD and Advisory Boards to amend
code to require solar readiness
requirements and exemptions for
commercial buildings.
| 2019 Oregon Zero Energy Ready Commercial Code
|
June 2019
|
3(D): DAS and ODOE to ensure all equipment purchased by the state meets high-efficiency energy and water use specifications by incorporating standards into procurement requirements. |
Directive Completed:
Efficient Building Equipment Procurement Requirements Report |
| December 2018 |
5(D): ODOE and PUC to evaluate the
state’s distributed resources
needed to improve Oregon’s
recovery from a disaster, and submit a report
to the Governor. |
Directive Completed:
Role of Efficiency & Distributed Energy Resources in Resilience Report |
| December 2018 |
4(E): ODOE and BCD to provide a report to the
Governor on key, expanding
industries with potential to
realize significant cost savings and energy savings through
building code amendments. |
Directive Completed:
Expanding Industries & Building Code Amendments Report |
| December 2018 |
3(C): ODOE and DAS to develop a plug load strategy to reduce energy uses not regulated by codes and standards. |
Plug Load Strategy Complete:
Statewide Plug Load Strategy Report |
| December 2018 |
5(B): ODOE, PUC, OHCS assess energy
use in all affordable housing
building stock. Develop 10-year
plan to achieve maximum
efficiency. |
Directive Completed:
|
| December 2018 |
5(A): PUC working with Energy Trust of Oregon on
development of meter-based
savings pilot programs. |
Directive Completed:
Summary Report |
| December 2018 |
3(E): Develop a tool to
inform high performance energy
use targets and carbon neutral
requirements for state buildings. |
Directive Completed:
Summary Report |
| November 2018 |
4(F): ODOE and stakeholders identify
and adopt appliance standards,
aligning with other leading
states. |
Directive Completed:
Appliance Standards Report
|
| May 2018 |
3(A): ODOE to develop database of
eligible state-owned buildings. |
Database Completed:
Summary Report |
View
BEEWG's progress chart for additional updates.
The BEEWG
The Built Environment Efficiency Working Group (BEEWG) is a collaborative of state agencies including the Oregon Department of Energy, Department of Administrative Services, Building Codes Division, Public Utility Commission, and Oregon Housing & Community Services. The group will work on implementing the directives from the EO by tackling the needed cost analyses, barriers to implementation, and more. The group will also seek input from stakeholders across the state.
Improving the Built Environment
The BEEWG will focus on directives from the Governor's EO, including:
- Solar-ready buildings. New residential buildings are ready for installation of solar panels and related technologies by October 2020, and by October 2022 for commercial buildings.
- EV-ready parking lots. Associated parking structures are able to support electric vehicle charging by October 2022.
- Zero-energy homes. For new residential construction, structures will need to achieve at least equivalent performance levels with the U.S. Department of Energy “Zero Energy Ready Standard” by October 2023.
- High performance buildings. For new commercial construction, buildings will exceed national model energy codes and meet energy efficiency levels of high-performance standards by October 2022.
- High efficiency H20. For new construction, commercial code will require high-efficiency water fixtures by January 2020, and the ability to capture and safely reuse water for irrigation or other uses by October 2025.
- State resources. State agencies will work with high energy-use industries to help them reduce their carbon footprint through code amendments.
- State leadership. State agencies will continue our commitment to lead by example by ensuring existing state-owned buildings operate efficiently, and by constructing new buildings that operate as carbon-neutral by 2022.
Read the EO for a full list of directives or
view the BEEWG's progress chart for action item updates.