Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued an executive order stipulating the acceleration of commercial energy-efficiency standards, specifically calling for new state-owned buildings to be designed to operate as carbon-neutral starting in 2022. The executive order also sets high-performance energy targets for remodeling state buildings, and will require energy performance for newly constructed homes to be equivalent to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready standards by 2024.
During the next five to six years, complying with the state’s more stringent energy code will require that residential and commercial structures be ready for the installation of solar panels and include high-efficiency water fixtures onsite for water reuse, and that their parking structures include electric vehicle chargers.
In the coming months, the newly formed Oregon Zero Energy Buildings Coalition will provide technical and research support to state, local and school district officials, as well as to private sector developers, designers and builders, to support the implementation of the standards established in Gov. Brown’s executive order.
