Cincinnati BPS Engagement and Feedback

city of cincinnati logoThe City of Cincinnati is considering strategies that improve health and energy efficiency in existing buildings, including implementing and providing technical support for Building Performance Standard (BPS). Engaging stakeholders and eliciting meaningful feedback about a possible BPS will be helpful in ensuring that the City of Cincinnati is developing policies and programs to meet the goal of full carbon neutrality by 2050. 

Engaging stakeholders and eliciting meaningful feedback will be crucial in the development of BPS policies and support.  See below for opportunities to share your feedback and resources to learn more about this topic. 

What is a BPS?

A Building Performance Standard (BPS) establishes target performance thresholds for existing buildings aimed at reducing the city’s emissions. BPS have become a popular policy mechanism for municipalities and states to reduce energy use and operational costs in existing buildings. Over a dozen U.S. cities have passed a BPS, including St. Louis, MO and Evanston, IL, with dozens more under consideration. 

What are the benefits of a BPS?

A BPS can improve building efficiency, resulting in cost and time savings, enhanced occupant satisfaction, and extended building lifespans. It can also help delay turnover and maintenance costs, while providing greater safety and control for building operators, enabling them to perform their duties more effectively. BPS also can improve overall durability and resilience in buildings, leading to improved comfort and health for building occupants.

I am a building owner/manager. How will a BPS affect me?

The specifics of the BPS and which buildings it will affect are still undetermined at this time. The process of determining a BPS includes considering factors like building type, size, and other variables, and may affect only a small percentage of the city’s buildings—those with the highest emissions. Implementing a BPS could involve establishing systems for tracking data to ensure these thresholds are met in eligible commercial and multifamily residential buildings. 

Will support be available for BPS implementation?

The City expects that technical assistance and resources will be made available to support the implementation of any new BPS. Feedback from the stakeholder engagement process will help determine the types of assistance needed.

How would a BPS impact the goals outlined in the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan (GCP)?

BPS ordinances are proven mechanisms to reduce energy consumption and emissions in existing buildings. The GCP lists four items specifically aligned with the goals of BPS:

  • reducing building emissions 30% from 2021 levels by 2030; 

  • improving building performance by implementing policies like benchmarking, building performance standards, or other relevant energy standards; 

  • reducing the number of households experiencing energy poverty 10% from 2022 levels by 2028; and 

  • creating programs and standards that will increase the energy efficiency of residential and multi-family buildings in order to decrease energy poverty.

A BPS would help Cincinnati meet the GCP goal of 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, and 100% carbon neutrality by 2050.
Additional Resources
  • Green Cincinnati Plan
  • BPS FAQ (link coming soon)
  • BPS Fact Sheet (link coming soon)
  • City Snapshots (link coming soon)

Get Involved

  • Feedback Form
  • BPS Working Group
    • Meeting 1 - June 2025, details coming soon
    • Meeting 2 - July 2025, details coming soon
    • Meeting 3 - August 2025, details coming soon
    • Meeting 4 - September 2025, details coming soon
  • Sign up for update emails