Climate Ready Building Energy Standard
A building performance standard (BPS) is a policy designed to reduce energy usage in existing buildings by setting a long-term standard and short-term targets. BPS policies are a powerful tool for reducing emissions from buildings.
The Village has a target of being net zero by 2050. Currently over 75% of the Village’s emissions are related to building energy use. To have net zero buildings the Village will need to encourage transitioning gas appliances to electric, increasing efficiency to reduce demand on the electric grid and reduce utility costs and support renewable energy and the decarbonization of the electric grid. A well designed BPS can provide a pathway for buildings to improve efficiency and electrify to be ready for a net zero future.
Implementing a building performance standard is an action prioritized in the CROP plan (EE02) and is included in the 26-27 Village Board Goals (5.1.g). A BPS is the next step after the Village’s Benchmarking Policy.
Join the Stakeholder Working Group!
Oak Park’s BPS policy will be designed with the help of the Stakeholder Working Group. This group will meet once a month for several months to discuss the following:
- What metrics should be used for Oak Park’s policy?
- What timelines should we set for the policy’s targets?
- Which buildings in Oak Park should be comply with the policy?
- Will we offer alternative compliance pathways?
- What incentives or technical assistance should be provided?
Who should be a part of the working group?
- Owners and managers of buildings that currently are required to submit energy usage data under the Village’s benchmarking ordinance.
- Community advocates for climate, health, and affordability.
- Architects, engineers, and other building science experts.
- Anyone interested in helping shape the BPS policy.
Interested in learning more about the Stakeholder Working Group?
Fill out this interest form.
Information Sessions
Webinar: Introducing an Oak Park Building Performance Policy
December 9, 3-4 p.m. (virtual)
Register for this event
Join the Office of Sustainability, the Illinois Green Alliance and Slipstream to learn more about what a Building Performance Standard is and how you can participate in creating one in Oak Park.
A recording will be shared after the event.
FAQs
What other communities have a Building Performance Standard?
Eleven municipalities and four States currently have Building Performance Standards. More than 50 jurisdictions have Benchmarking policies.
Examples of other communities with Building Performance Standards include the following:
What will the Oak Park Building Performance Standard require?
We will determine the specific Oak Park BPS requirements through a robust stakeholder engagement process. Some of the questions we will need to determine through the process are the following:
- What will be Oak Park’s long term targets and interim standards?
- What metrics will Oak Park’s policy use to track progress?
- Which building types and sizes will be subject to the BPS?
- What alternative compliance pathways will be offered?
You can find examples of what the policy might look like by exploring the policies of other communities linked above.
What buildings will be required to meet these standards?
The buildings which will be on the covered building list for the Building Performance Standard will be determined through the stakeholder engagement process. Currently the Village requires buildings of all types which are above 10,000 square feet in size to annually report energy and water usage through our Benchmarking program.
If your building is required to benchmark, it is possible it will be included in the BPS program as well. The best way to understand the impact that a proposed BPS will have on your specific building is to complete your annual benchmarking. This will provide the Village and Technical Advisors the information necessary to help you understand what any proposed standards mean for you.
Not benchmarking yet? We can help. Visit the Benchmarking Help Desk for step-by-step instructions and to sign up for one on one technical assistance.
What is the policy adoption timeline?
- The Village is currently organizing the Stakeholder Working Group. This group will meet in the first half of 2027.
- In spring/summer 2027 the results of the working group will be presented to the Village Board in a study session.
- A draft policy will be shared with the public for comment in the summer of 2027.
- After the public comment period, staff will bring a final policy to the Village Board for review and potential approval.
Resources
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IMT model ordinance - The Institute for Market Transformation has created a model Building Performance Standard ordinance. This model ordinance can provide communities considering a BPS with a foundation from which to start and modified to reflect local conditions and priorities.
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BPS White paper(PDF, 3MB) - BPS policies are new, this white paper provides an overview of where these policies are implemented and how they can work to achieve climate and energy goals.