West Hollywood's Equitable Building Performance Standard (EBPS) aims to cut building emissions 80 percent by 2035, with benchmarking starting in 2026 and performance targets beginning in 2028. This guide explains the ordinance's equity focus and what building owners need to do to comply.
The City of West Hollywood is on a mission to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035. A major part of that vision is the Equitable Building Performance Standard (EBPS), a policy designed not just to reduce energy consumption in large buildings, but to do so equitably.
Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all mandate, the EBPS is tailored to meet the needs of West Hollywood’s diverse community. It balances climate goals with housing affordability and social equity, ensuring that all building types and the people who occupy them—can participate in creating a more sustainable future.
A Building Performance Standard (BPS) establishes enforceable energy use or emissions targets that buildings must meet over time. These standards are more than aspirational they are designed to drive measurable improvements in building performance.
West Hollywood’s version is an Equitable BPS. It layers the goals of energy efficiency and emissions reduction with policies that address affordability, health, comfort, and accessibility.
The EBPS introduces several new requirements for buildings over 20,000 square feet:
By 2035, buildings must collectively achieve an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Who Must Comply With West Hollywood’s EBPS?
Only existing buildings over 20,000 square feet are subject to the EBPS. This includes:
These large buildings represent just 6% of West Hollywood’s total building stock but contribute significantly to the city’s overall emissions.
Starting in 2026, building owners must:
This process helps both the city and owners track performance trends and identify opportunities for improvement.
From 2028 onward, buildings must meet increasingly strict energy performance thresholds every four years. Owners have two compliance options:
By 2036, only direct compliance will be accepted BPAPs will no longer be an option.
To meet performance goals or create a strong BPAP, owners should consider:
West Hollywood is designing a Building Retrofit Accelerator to provide technical and financial support for these improvements.
To ensure equitable implementation, the City is exploring:
This is essential to ensure that retrofits don’t create economic hardship or displacement.
Energy-efficient buildings cost less to run. Reduced energy use leads to lower utility bills, helping owners improve profitability over time.
Meeting EBPS targets boosts ESG ratings and makes properties more attractive to investors and tenants seeking sustainability and reliability.
Starting in 2028, non-compliance could result in enforcement actions, especially after BPAPs are phased out in 2036.
Participation in a citywide climate initiative fosters goodwill and brand alignment with West Hollywood’s values of inclusivity, equity, and environmental leadership.
Retrofitting costs can burden older buildings or affordable housing units. West Hollywood’s policy emphasizes:
Benchmarking and reporting may require new systems and staff training. To simplify this:
Equity is at the core of West Hollywood’s EBPS. Community engagement has shaped every stage of the policy, ensuring that no resident or property owner is left behind due to cost or capacity.
Now is the time for building owners in West Hollywood to prepare for EBPS by:
By planning ahead, property owners can align with West Hollywood’s goals of climate resilience, energy equity, and community well-being while also future-proofing their properties for long-term success.
Discover how West Hollywood Building Energy Benchmarking And Performance Standards Ordinance supports energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and sustainable building practices. Download the report to stay ahead of regulatory requirements.
We deliver innovative energy management, demand response, and building automation solutions to enterprise, manufacturing, industrial, healthcare, hospitality, K-12, and higher education sectors across the United States and globally.
©2026 InTech Energy, Inc. DBA Sanalife. All rights reserved. Various trademarks held by their respective owners.
