AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- BUILDING DECARBONIZATION ACT OF 2025

HB 5493 establishes a mandatory energy benchmarking program for large buildings in Rhode Island. It requires owners of commercial and residential buildings over 25,000 square feet (with larger buildings starting in 2027 and smaller ones in 2029) to annually report energy use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions through the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. The collected data will be publicly posted to increase transparency about building energy performance. Exemptions apply for unoccupied properties, those undergoing demolition, or properties without energy services during the reporting year. The law focuses solely on data collection and reporting, not on requiring energy upgrades.