The climate crisis has exacted an unmistakable toll here in Oregon — on our environment, our communities and our economy. One of the key contributors? The very homes and buildings where we increasingly seek refuge.

The data is clear: Residential and commercial buildings are now the second-largest and growing source of climate pollution in Oregon, right behind transportation. Many of those same inefficient, outdated homes and buildings that pollute our air also fail to keep our communities safe when we are at our most vulnerable.

Unreliable cooling leaves too many families to swelter during record heat. Wildfire smoke seeps inside our homes through poorly sealed windows and doors. Buildings with insufficient insulation leave tenants to foot the bill for skyrocketing energy costs.

These vulnerabilities are felt most acutely by frontline, low-income, rural, Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities. Those same communities are more likely to spend a greater share of their income on energy bills.

How we build is how we live, and it’s clear that Oregon needs a better foundation.

That’s why last year I joined Sen. Lynn Findley, Rep. Pam Marsh and Rep. Mark Owens to convene the Resilient, Efficient Buildings (REBuilding) Task Force, which brought together more than two dozen bipartisan representatives from the construction industry, labor, utilities, local government, public health and more. We spent nine months studying how best to reduce climate pollution from our homes and buildings and make them more resilient to the climate crisis.

From that work, we identified proven, common-sense recommendations that will increase access to safe, affordable and efficient homes and buildings, reduce expensive utility bills and protect us all from climate harms.

These recommendations are the basis of the Resilient, Efficient Buildings Bills Package, which consists of four bills that will:

• Help Oregonians maximize rebates and incentives to purchase and install heat pumps, prioritizing low-income and climate-vulnerable households. (Healthy Heating and Cooling for All, Senate Bill 868)
• Ensure new buildings are constructed efficiently to save Oregonians’ money on energy bills, improve indoor air quality and reduce climate pollution. (Build Smart from the Start, Senate Bill 869)
• Drive energy efficiency improvements and pollution reduction for our largest commercial buildings through flexible requirements and financial incentives (Building Performance Standards, Senate Bill 870)
• Reduce climate pollution from state-owned buildings, helping to reach our pollution reduction goals and ensuring our government leads by example. (Smart State Buildings, Senate Bill 871)
• A companion bill, House Bill 3166, will create a one-stop shop for accessing energy incentives, helping Oregon families understand their options and make the right choices for their homes.

This legislation package is critical and the stakes could not be higher. Two years ago, nearly 100 Oregonians in 28 cities across the state died during a June “heat dome” that unleashed record-high temperatures. A report on the 69 people who died in Multnomah County found that almost all were in their homes, where very few appeared to have access to working air conditioning. Many who died were older, lived alone, and resided in multi-family housing.

The Building Resilience package is about more than just windows and doors; it’s about ensuring that every Oregonian, no matter who we are or where we live, has access to safe, affordable homes and buildings. We have to take action now.