Portland city commissioner Dan Saltzman in November announced a new plan that would require all new buildings in the city to meet high standards for energy efficiency. The plan would provide incentives and resources for meeting the new standards by penalizing developments that only go the bare minimum.

Saltzman made the announcement at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Chicago at an invitation-only reception for PDX lounge, a showroom of sustainable products from the Oregon building industry. The decision to announce drastic changes for Portland-area building codes at a conference in Chicago has been met with some criticism, but Saltzman’s office maintains it is part of a broader move to market Portland’s progress in sustainable development to an international audience.

If passed, the new standards would be in place by 2010. The city would set up technical support and educational measures in the interim to ensure a smooth transition. Saltzman noted that the new standards would create jobs and empower consumers. The most difficult measure would be implementing a carbon tax, which has thus far only passed in the form of a tax on electricity use in Boulder, Colo.