Public Building Requirements List All

The mandated State Energy Efficiency Design Program (SEED) requires that all state facilities constructed on or after June 30, 2001 exceed the energy conservation provisions of the Oregon State Building Code by at least 20 percent. In 2013, the Governor’s 10-Year Energy Action Plan set an additional target of 20 percent reduction by 2023. State agencies are working toward that goal now via benchmarking and comparisons with the Buildings Performance Database. State-owned facilities over 5,000 square feet and meeting energy use thresholds are required to report into Portfolio Manager. Many agencies are participating in Strategic Energy Management initiatives, with an emphasis on building-level data to effectively prioritize retrofits. 21 state agencies are currently using EPA's Energy Star Portfolio Manager to report energy use data. Oregon Administrative Rule 330-130-0080 requires state agencies to report their energy use to the Oregon Department of Energy. ODOE uses this data to benchmark facilities, identify potential energy efficiency investments, and create annual reports to agencies about their energy use in comparison to target performance. Oregon Department of Energy conducts outreach, training, and resources to local jurisdictions interested in commercial building benchmarking policies and ordinances. Based on ODOE's ongoing data gathering and Portfolio Manager reporting of state buildings, the state has benchmarked 312 buildings, or over 17.5 million square feet.

ODOE pulls reports from the Portfolio Manager database to prepare a biennial State Energy Efficient Design report to the State Legislature as required by ORS 276.915(9). SEED was originally established in 1991 as a result of Oregon State law, ORS 276.900-915. This law directs state agencies to work with the Oregon Department of Energy to ensure cost-effective energy conservation measures are included in new and renovated public buildings.

Oregon’s Green Energy Technology mandate requires all new construction or major renovations of public buildings invest 1.5 percent of project cost in green energy technologies such as energy efficiency or renewable energy systems.

ORS 276.900 requires state facilities to be constructed or purchased by authorized state agencies be designed, constructed, renovated and operated so as to minimize the use of nonrenewable energy resources and to serve as models of energy efficiency. University system policy requires that new construction in the higher education system meet at minimum LEED silver standards.

A 2017 Executive Order implemented new requirements for carbon neutral operation for new state buildings, statewide plug load strategy, energy efficiency equipment procurement requirement, and life cycle cost analysis. All existing state-owned buildings must undergo retrofits and remodels to meet high performance energy use targets based on ASHRAE Standard 100. In addition, state-owned buildings permitted after January 1, 2022, and used primarily as office or other commercial work space must operate as carbon-neutral buildings following ASHRAE standard 189.1. DAS and ODOE developed and implemented a statewide plug-load management strategy to encourage occupant behavior changes to reduce energy uses not regulated by codes and standards. Oregon’s Department of Administrative Services and Department of Energy developed agency procurement guidelines incorporating equipment energy and water use requirements to drive purchase of the most efficient equipment. ODOE developed a life cycle analysis tool to analyze state building costs, including lifecycle energy and water use costs or savings, when considering energy and water measure upgrades for state buildings.

Schools in Portland General Electric and Pacific Power territory are eligible for the Public Purpose Charge Program (2002). As part of the Public Purpose Charge Program, school districts receive funds to conduct energy audits of their educational facilities and to implement those audits. These school districts report their energy usage data for their educational facilities into a secure online Schools Interactive Database. School districts hire energy audit firms to analyze potential energy conservation measures at their educational facilities. ODOE reviews the energy audit reports for consistency and accuracy to provide the school districts with their energy efficiency opportunities. ODOE facilitates the administration of the program and provides assistance to school districts to help them make informed energy efficiency investments.

Last Updated: July 2020