The Eugene City Council voted to approve the Residential Energy Performance Disclosure Requirement ordinance on October 28th, bringing the city into alignment with four other Oregon municipalities—Portland, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, and Bend—that have adopted similar measures. The ordinance represents a response to broader efforts by cities to assist residents in pursuing home retrofits and efficiency improvements as support for building electrification expands throughout Oregon and nationally.
Under the new requirement, home energy score assessments must be conducted and disclosed when residential properties are listed for sale. These assessments evaluate multiple factors including average energy costs, existing appliances, heating systems, windows, doors, and insulation. The evaluations also calculate climate emissions associated with each home and assign an energy efficiency rating on a scale of one to ten. Assessment reports provide recommendations for improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions, alongside information regarding available incentives and subsidies at local, state, and federal levels.
The policy adoption marks a significant move by Eugene to reduce building emissions following a setback in earlier efforts. The city’s previous residential building electrification ordinance was invalidated following a 2023 Ninth Circuit decision concerning a similar Berkeley requirement. With the passage of the Home Energy Score ordinance, more than 1 million Oregonians now reside in jurisdictions with home energy score disclosure policies, representing approximately 24.4 percent of the state’s population.
Support for the ordinance came from environmental and clean energy advocates who viewed the measure as an essential step toward meeting the city’s climate goals, which include reducing emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Proponents noted that utility customers have access to significant incentive programs for home electrification and energy efficiency, including zero-interest loans and cash subsidies, but that awareness of these programs remains limited. The energy score requirement is expected to ensure that homebuyers receive the information necessary to make informed decisions and take advantage of available programs to reduce energy costs and climate pollution.
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