Eugene City Council adopts home energy score requirement
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The Eugene City Council in Oregon voted 6 to 1 to adopt the Residential Energy Performance Disclosure Requirement ordinance.
This policy mandates that homeowners provide a home energy score when listing a property for sale. The move makes Eugene the fifth city in Oregon to implement such a requirement, joining Portland, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, and Bend. The new ordinance requires an assessment that scores a home's energy use on a scale of one to ten.
These scores are based on an evaluation of a property's appliances, heating systems, windows, doors, and insulation. The reports also calculate the climate emissions associated with the home and provide residents with recommendations for energy efficiency upgrades. Additionally, the disclosure includes information about available local, state, and federal incentives and subsidies. Advocates say the policy helps buyers make informed financial decisions and assists the city in reaching its goal to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030.
This legislation follows a 2023 court decision by the Ninth Circuit that invalidated a previous residential building electrification ordinance in Eugene. The new requirement now covers more than 1 million Oregonians, which represents 24.4% of the state's population.
