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SB 2260

AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- BUILDING BENCHMARKING AND REPORTING ACT OF 2026

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bob Britto and 9 co-sponsors

Rhode Island will require large buildings to benchmark and publicly report energy use and emissions annually, with deadlines and incentives to boost efficiency.

06/24/2026 Vetoed by Governor
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 2260

Summary of SB 2260 (Rhode Island, 2026) – Building Benchmarking and Reporting Act of 2026

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes a state-wide building energy benchmarking and reporting program for certain properties to increase transparency about energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Aims to provide public information on building energy performance to support energy efficiency, decarbonization efforts, and informed decision-making by property owners, policymakers, and the public.
  • Uses ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager as the primary benchmarking tool, with a fallback if that tool becomes unavailable.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definitions (Chapter 27.5, 23-27.5-1):

    • Benchmarking information: energy use data, property characteristics, emissions, and compliance status.
    • Benchmarking tool: ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager; reporting paused if the tool is unavailable, unless a comparable alternative is designated by the Office of Energy Resources (OER).
    • Covered property: residential and non-residential buildings and campuses with 25,000+ gross square feet, identified via municipal tax assessor databases.
    • Campus: two or more buildings with shared utilities used for health care, research, or higher education.
    • Site energy vs. source energy: definitions distinguishing onsite energy use (site) and total energy required to operate the property (source), including generation, transmission, and distribution losses.
    • Owner and tenant definitions: clarifies who is responsible for reporting.
    • Utility: energy-disserving entity.

  • Establishment of program (23-27.5-2):

    • Office of Energy Resources (OER) administers the building energy reporting program and publishes data to provide marketplace transparency.

  • Benchmarking requirements (23-27.5-3):

    • Annual input of energy use data for prior calendar year.
    • Compliance deadlines by property size:
    • 50,000+ gross square feet: by May 15, 2028, and annually thereafter.
    • 25,000 – 49,999 gross square feet: by May 15, 2030, and annually thereafter.
    • New covered properties: once occupancy data reaches 12 months, begin benchmarking by the first May 15 after the first full year of occupancy.

  • Notification and outreach (23-27.5-4):

    • OER must notify owners of obligations (Sept 15–Dec 15 annually, starting 2027).
    • By Jan 31 annually (starting 2028), OER posts a list of covered property addresses on its website.
    • Annual online information session for building owners; additional sessions 2026–2029 to support outreach.

  • Exemptions (23-27.5-5):

    • Exemptions available if property is unoccupied for the required year, demolition has begun, or no energy services were received for the entire year.
    • Exemption requests handled by OER commissioner with required documentation; decisions at the commissioner’s discretion.

  • Reporting and publication (23-27.5-6):

    • Owners must annually provide benchmarking data to OER by the schedule in 23-27.5-3.
    • OER must deliver a summary report to the General Assembly and publish it on its website by December 31 each year (starting 2027 for current-year benchmarking data).
    • Report content includes benchmarking data, progress against baseline years for energy use and emissions, and compliance status.

  • Direct upload (23-27.5-7):

    • Owners can authorize energy utilities or third parties to report building energy data on their behalf, but owners remain responsible for compliance.

  • Municipal implementation (23-27.5-8):

    • Municipalities with existing comparable benchmarking programs may continue them in lieu of state requirements, with notice to OER within 180 days and annual benchmarking data provided thereafter.

  • Enforcement and incentives (23-27.5-9):

    • OER to develop incentives (e.g., eligibility for grants, participation certification, public logo) to encourage compliance.
    • OER may promulgate rules, including enforcement mechanisms such as escalating warnings and fines, not before May 15, 2031.

  • Severability (23-27.5-10): Invalid provisions severable; remainder remains in effect.

  • Effective date: Takes effect upon passage.

Who is affected

  • Owners of covered properties (non-residential and residential buildings and campuses meeting 25,000+ gross square feet).
  • Municipalities and building owners with existing benchmarking programs (subject to transition provisions).
  • Energy utilities and third-party data reporters (who may be authorized to submit benchmarking data on behalf of owners).
  • General public and policymakers via published benchmarking data and annual reports.

Timelines and milestones

  • 2027–2029: Outreach sessions and notifications to property owners begin; ongoing annual benchmarking data collection begins according to size thresholds.
  • 2028: Addresses of covered properties published on OER website; 50,000+ sq ft properties must report by May 15, 2028.
  • 2030: 25,000–49,999 sq ft properties must begin reporting by May 15, 2030.
  • 2031 and beyond: Potential enforcement actions and fines may be imposed for noncompliance; ongoing incentive programs established.
  • Annual reporting: OER must produce and publish a program summary by December 31 each year (starting 2027 for data from the previous year).

Overall impact

  • Increased visibility into energy performance and emissions across large buildings and campuses.
  • Creation of a standardized, publicly accessible dataset on building energy use.
  • Potentially higher energy efficiency investments driven by benchmarking results and incentives.
  • Local flexibility for municipalities with pre-existing programs, while establishing a statewide baseline and reporting cadence.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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