H 7484Energy Efficiency

State Affairs and Government - Buildings Carbon Emissions Reduction Act

This bill requires new large developments to demonstrate they will utilize 100% clean energy by 2050 to receive construction permits.

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Introduced Feb 4, 2026Committee House Environment and Natural Resources

Plain-English Summary

This legislation enacts the "Buildings Carbon Emissions Reduction Act." It mandates that for any new "large development" (defined as a project on a parcel over 50,000 square feet with buildings over 50,000 square feet) submitted for permitting after December 31, 2026, the developer must provide a carbon impact report. The project must be designed to meet its energy needs with 100% clean energy by 2050. Cities and towns are prohibited from issuing permits unless this standard is met, with specific exceptions for technical infeasibility or certain facilities like hospitals and restaurants.

For younger readers

This new law creates rules for building very big buildings. If someone wants to build a large project after the year 2026, they must promise that the building will run on clean energy, like electricity from the sun or wind, by the year 2050. They have to hire experts to write a report showing how they will do this. There are some exceptions for places like hospitals and restaurants, or if it is impossible to build it without using gas or oil. The goal is to stop pollution from big buildings.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Real Estate DevelopersArchitects and EngineersConstruction CompaniesRestaurant OwnersHospital Administrators

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

None

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Directly addresses the climate crisis by mandating that large-scale future developments transition to 100% clean energy, reducing long-term reliance on fossil fuels.
Prevents the "lock-in" of new fossil fuel infrastructure in major construction projects, ensuring that new buildings are compatible with a zero-carbon future.
Promotes public health and community welfare by reducing on-site combustion of gas and oil, which improves local air quality.
The definition of "large development" (over 50,000 sq ft) leaves out many medium-sized commercial and residential projects, limiting the environmental impact of the legislation.
Exemptions for restaurants and medical facilities may be utilized as loopholes to continue fossil fuel usage in mixed-use developments.
Relying on "independent firms" hired by developers to create carbon impact reports could lead to biased reporting without strict public oversight or audit mechanisms.

For Conservatives

Includes specific carve-outs for businesses with unique energy needs, such as restaurants and medical facilities, protecting them from operational disruptions.
Acknowledges technical reality by allowing modifications if an all-electric design is proven to be "physically or technically unfeasible."
Does not apply retroactively to existing buildings, ensuring current property owners are not forced to undertake expensive retrofits immediately.
Explicitly states that financial considerations are not a sufficient basis for exemption, potentially forcing developers into cost-prohibitive designs that hurt the real estate market.
Interferes with the free market by effectively banning the installation of natural gas and oil infrastructure in most new large commercial and residential projects.
Imposes significant regulatory hurdles and costs on developers by requiring expensive "carbon impact reports" before a permit can even be considered.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 49 additions

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 42-6.3-1. Short title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Buildings Carbon Emissions Reduction Act". 42-6.3-2. Definitions. As used in this chapter:

(1) "Building energy needs" means all energy uses including, but not limited to, space conditioning, heating and cooling, water heating of pools and spas, cooking appliances and clothes drying appliances.

(2) "Carbon impact report(s)" means a report, prepared by an independent firm of building professionals, which may include, but not be limited to, licensed architects or engineers for the purpose of reviewing the proposed energy uses at the proposed development, and a determination as to whether the development will meet its building energy needs with one hundred percent (100%) clean energy usage by the year 2050. For the purposes of this analysis, electricity may be presumed to be one hundred percent (100%) renewable energy by 2050.

(3) "Large development(s)" means a proposed development that will be constructed on a parcel of land that is greater than fifty thousand square feet (50,000 ft2) in size, and that proposes a building or buildings that will individually or collectively contain more than fifty thousand square feet (50,000 ft2) of gross building area. 42-6.3-3. Permits for large developments.

(a) No city or town shall issue a permit for the construction of any new large development, if the initial application for such permit was submitted after December 31, 2026, unless the circumstances set forth in subsection (b) or (c) of this section apply. For purposes of this subsection, the initial application along with a carbon impact report shall be the first site or building permit application, associated with the building or project.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a city or town may issue a permit for construction of a large development upon a finding by the permitting body of such city or town, that constructing a large development which is likely to meet its building energy needs with one hundred percent (100%) clean energy usage by 2050 is physically or technically unfeasible and that a modification is warranted. Financial considerations shall not be a sufficient basis to determine physical or technical infeasibility. Modifications shall only be issued under this exception where the permitting body finds that:

(1) Sufficient evidence was submitted to substantiate the infeasibility of an all-electric building or project design. Such evidence shall show that the building is either:

(i) Unable to satisfy necessary building code requirements, without the usage of gas or oil piping systems, fixtures and/or infrastructure; or

(ii) The building is specifically designated for occupancy by a commercial food service establishment, and such establishment cannot feasibly operate using commercially available electric appliances.

(2) The installation of natural gas or oil piping systems, fixtures and/or infrastructure is strictly limited to the system and area of the building for which an all-electric building or project design is infeasible.

(3) The area or service within the project where gas or oil piping systems, fixtures and/or infrastructure are installed, is all-electric ready; and

(4) The project's modified design provides equivalent health, safety and fire protection to an all-electric building or project design.

(c) Exemptions. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a city or town may issue a permit for a large development, in which said building or group of buildings are for the sole or primary use as a hospital, medical facility, laboratory for biological research or restaurant.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.