Oregon Governor Signs Bill to Improve Building Energy Efficiency
[Updated August 5, 2009]
On January 12, a bill (SB 79) was introduced in the Oregon State Legislature that provides for updates to the state building code to increase building energy efficiency to the level of the national model codes. The bill also mandates the adoption of an optional alternative to the state building code which provides even more stringent energy-efficient construction standards and methods.
Section 5 directs the Department of Consumer and Business Services (subject to the approval of the appropriate advisory boards, which includes the Oregon Building Codes Division) to develop and administer a "Reach Code", a voluntary set of construction standards separate from the state building code to achieve higher levels of energy efficiency than under the mandatory code.
Sections 6 and 7 direct the Department of Consumer and Business Services (subject to the approval of the appropriate advisory boards) to develop a schedule for the periodic review of energy efficiency standards and to establish goals for increasing the level of energy conservation achieved by the use of energy efficiency standards contained in the state building code and the Reach Code. In reviewing the energy conservation standards, the Department shall consider the target standards described in the 2030 Challenge published by Architecture 2030.
Section 9 directs the Department of Consumer and Business Services (subject to the approval of the appropriate advisory boards) to adopt amendments to the state building code that are estimated to achieve:
- An increase in energy efficiency of nonresidential buildings of between 15 and 25 percent (compared to nonresidential building energy efficiency under the current code) by January 1, 2012. This is to be based on ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007.
- An increase in energy efficiency of residential buildings of between 10 and 15 percent (compared to residential building energy efficiency under the current code) by January 1, 2012. The code amendments are to achieve the energy efficiency increase through residential construction that uses a greater number of the energy efficiency techniques described in the Low-Rise Residential Dwelling Code than the number of techniques required under the code currently.
The Department of Consumer and Business Services shall adopt initial rules under this section in time for the rules to become effective on January 1, 2010.
STATUS: The bill was approved by the Senate 20-9 on June 17 and by the House 38-20 on June 24. It was signed into law by Gov. Ted Kulongoski on July 22.
More information on SB 79: Bill History | Bill Text (enrolled)| Oregon Building Codes Division
****