Vermont
Governor
Phil Scott (Republican)
House Party
Democratic Majority
Senate Party
Democratic Majority
Key Offices & Links
35
33
Northeast
Progress by Policy Area
- Enacted Enacted policies have been passed or established in a state by a governing body via legislation, executive orders, rules, regulations, and/or other program creation, and remain in effect.
- In-progress In progress policies have been established in a state, but final regulations, rules, or plans are pending final approval. This also includes legislation and executive orders that require regulations to be put into effect.
- Partially Enacted Partially enacted policies have been enacted in the state, but are missing one or more policy components. Dashboard policies cannot be considered partially enacted unless policy components are available.
- Not Enacted Not enacted policies have not been passed or established in the state or are no longer in effect.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections in Vermont
Climate Policies in Vermont
| Status | Policy | Policy Area | Policy Category | Year Enacted | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enacted |
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The statewide energy code for residential construction is the Vermont 2020 Residential Building Energy Standards (RBES), based on the 2018 IECC. In September 2025, Governor Scott issued an executive order that reinstated the 2020 building code, making the 2024 RBES, which is based on the 2021 IECC, voluntary. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Codes | 2025 | |
| Enacted |
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The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is the 2020 Commercial Building Energy Standards (CBES), which is based on the 2018 IECC. In September 2025, Governor Scott issued an executive order that reinstated the 2020 building code, making the 2024 CBES, which is based on the 2021 IECC and has ASHRAE 90.1-2019 compliance options, voluntary. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Codes | 2025 | |
| Enacted |
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The Vermont Residential Energy Building Standards (RBES) Stretch Code is a building energy code for residential buildings that achieves greater energy savings than the statewide RBES. In September 2025, Governor Scott issued an executive order that reinstated the 2020 building codes, so projects can comply with the 2020 or 2024 Stretch Codes. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Codes | 2025 | |
| Enacted |
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The Energy Efficiency Standards for Appliances and Equipment apply to 23 products. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Standards | 2018 | |
| Not Enacted |
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Building performance standards establish energy and/or greenhouse gas performance targets for existing buildings in a state. These targets increase in stringency over time, leading to efficiency improvements in buildings to conserve energy and reduce emissions. |
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Standards | ||
| In-Progress |
Empty column
Required by state legislation, the Vermont Public Utility Commission developed and submitted draft rules for a Clean Heat Standard to the Vermont General Assembly in January 2025, which required legislative approval to finalize the rules. The legislature did not approve the rules, and the PUC closed the case in February 2026. The PUC noted that, while feasible, a clean heat standard may not be well-suited for Vermont because of its regulatory complexity, and offered possible alternatives to lawmakers, including a fuel tax on heating fuels to subsidize existing thermal efficiency programs. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Standards | 2023 | |
| Enacted |
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Electric utilities are required to achieve energy savings equivalent to 204,000 megawatt hours (MWh) for 2024-2026. Gas utilities are required to achieve energy savings equivalent to 381,300 million British thermal units (MMBtu) for 2024-2026. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Efficiency | 2023 | |
| Enacted |
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Vermont has enacted residential PACE-enabling legislation, and has active programs. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Efficiency | 2009 | |
| Partially Enacted |
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The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
3/4
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Efficiency | ||
| Not Enacted |
Empty column
All-electric buildings policies require new buildings to be constructed with all-electric heating, cooling, and cooking systems to transition away from fossil-fuel use in buildings. |
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Electrification | ||
| Enacted |
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Municipalities in Vermont are authorized to build and operate thermal energy networks without the need for approval or regulation from the Public Utility Commission (PUC). Existing utilities, businesses, developers, co-ops, and non-profits are able operate their own TENs, subject to PUC authorization. The PUC published a report on how to support the development and permitting of TENs in October 2025. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Electrification | 2025 |