Decoupling Building Performance From Carbon Emissions: Evaluating the Efficacy of Los Angeles' Ebewe Mandate in Reducing Weather-Normalized Energy Intensity and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Urban buildings are significant contributors to energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and assessing the effectiveness of efficiency policies is critical for building performance. This study therefore investigate Decoupling Building Performance from Carbon Emission: Evaluating the Efficacy of Los Angeles’ EBEWE Mandate in Reducing Weather-Normalized Energy Intensity and Greenhouse Gas Emissions”. The study specific objectives were to analyze longitudinal trends in weather-normalized energy use intensity (EUI) and GHG emissions, and to compare sector-specific outcomes between commercial and multi-family residential buildings. A quantitative, longitudinal research design was adopted, using a census of EBEWE-covered buildings from 2018 to 2024 (n = all reported commercial and multi-family residential buildings), with data sourced from energy benchmarking submissions, utility records, and weather normalization metrics. Findings reveal a consistent decline in site and source EUI across both sectors, with commercial buildings achieving an average cumulative reduction of 21% and residential buildings 13%. Total GHG emissions decreased by 21.1% over the study period, with commercial buildings achieving slightly higher reductions than residential buildings. Regression analysis confirms that compliance status, building type, and normalized EUI significantly influence emissions. The study concludes that the EBEWE Mandate effectively decouples building performance from carbon emission and recommends ongoing monitoring, sector-specific interventions, and targeted retrofits to sustain and enhance energy and emissions reductions