LA City Council Passes Building Performance Standards Program 

The Los Angeles City Council has recently approved revisions to the City’s Existing Buildings Energy and Water Efficiency (EBEWE) Ordinance, introducing new Building Performance Standards (BPS) aimed at decarbonizing the building sector. 

The revisions are part of the broader LA Green New Deal goals, aiming for a 44% reduction in site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) across all building use types by 2050 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2050. 

A full report is available here.  

What You Need to Know

The BPS will apply to buildings over 20,000 square feet, matching EBEWE program rules. This focuses on large buildings that use the most energy and produce the most emissions. 

Key points: 

• Buildings under the BPS must report energy and water use yearly and complete audits and retro-commissioning every five years. 

• The program will set energy or carbon targets based on a building's size and type, like those in New York, D.C., and Boston. 

• The rollout will be phased, starting with larger buildings and later including smaller ones to ease costs for smaller property owners. 

• Extensions and exemptions will be available for buildings in financial distress, small businesses, and certain other types. 

• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will continue to offer incentives, including green financing and energy efficiency programs, to help buildings meet new standards. 

How It Impacts You 

The costs associated with retrofitting and complying with the new BPS could be significant. 

Property managers may struggle to afford these upgrades due to limited funding and high interest rates, which could lead to higher rents for tenants. 

Property managers must adjust operations to meet new energy and water standards, including benchmarking, reporting, audits, and retro-commissioning. 

Failure to meet BPS rules could lead to penalties. Timely compliance and using available incentives will be key to avoiding them. 

By staying informed and involved, property managers can adapt to these changes while reducing financial and operational impacts. 

Stay Connected

The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), in collaboration with other city departments, will conduct stakeholder engagement to ensure that the BPS takes into account our concerns. 

Stay connected with BOMA on the Frontline to keep updated on the implementation of this BPS program.