Reno Energy and Water Efficiency Program
What is Reno's Energy and Water Efficiency Program?
Reno benchmarking is required by the City’s Energy and Water Efficiency Program (Reno Municipal Code Chapter 14.30), adopted in 2019. It requires owners of commercial and multifamily buildings of 30,000 square feet or more to benchmark their energy and water use every year and report it to the City.
Reports are due every April 1. Reno is now phasing in building performance standards, starting with City-owned buildings in 2026 and the largest private buildings in 2028.
What buildings must comply in Reno?
- Commercial buildings of 30,000 sq ft or more
- Multifamily buildings of 30,000 sq ft or more
- City-owned buildings of 10,000 sq ft or more
Manufacturing and industrial buildings are excluded. Buildings owned by the State of Nevada or the federal government are not required to report but are encouraged to join the City’s voluntary ReEnergize Reno program. Owners can request an exemption or extension through the City’s BEAM portal.
What is the penalty for non-compliance?
- Warning notice: sent to buildings that miss the April 1 deadline without an approved exemption or extension.
- First fine: $100 if the building still has not reported 30 days after the warning.
- Ongoing fines: penalties increase while the building stays out of compliance (RMC 14.30.014).
- Public reporting: the City publishes an annual Energy and Water Efficiency Report.
What is the compliance process?
Reno owners report through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. A typical filing looks like this:
- First, confirm your property on the City’s Covered Properties List in the BEAM knowledge base.
- Next, request whole-building energy data from NV Energy using its account aggregation request form.
- Collect water data from Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA).
- Then enter 12 full months of energy and water data for the previous calendar year and run the Data Quality Checker.
- Finally, share your property with the City through Portfolio Manager by April 1.
The City hosts free virtual office hours from January through April, and owners may qualify for subsidized energy audits.
What is the deadline for Reno benchmarking?
Reno benchmarking reports are due April 1 every year and cover the previous calendar year.
Next deadlineApril 1, 2027 for calendar-year 2026 data
Exemption and extension requests should be filed before April 1. The City processes them weekly.
Reno building performance standards
Reno’s code sets performance targets that phase in by building size. To comply, a building must meet one of these targets:
- An ENERGY STAR score of 50 or higher
- A site EUI at least 10% lower than its baseline year
- An ENERGY STAR score at least 15 points higher than its baseline
| Building group | Performance standards begin |
|---|---|
| City-owned buildings | 2026 |
| Over 100,000 sq ft | 2028 (2027 reporting year) |
| Over 50,000 sq ft | 2029 |
| 30,000 sq ft and up | 2032 |
Plan ahead: Buildings that miss the targets will need to improve, for example through an energy audit, retro-commissioning or efficiency upgrades. Your 2026 data, due April 1, 2027, will count toward the first compliance period for the largest buildings.
What utilities are required for benchmarking reporting?
- Water
- Electricity
- Natural Gas
- Propane
- Any other purchased fuel
What is the purpose of Reno's program?
Buildings are a major source of energy use, water use and emissions in Reno. The program supports the City’s climate and water goals in two main ways:
Help owners save energy and water. Benchmarking shows how a building compares and where savings are possible, which matters in the high desert.
Improve building performance. Performance standards push the least efficient buildings to improve. Efficient buildings can also earn ENERGY STAR certification.
See our guides for California AB 802 and Salt Lake City, or our full energy benchmarking compliance guide.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Reno benchmarking deadline?
April 1 every year. The next deadline is April 1, 2027 for 2026 data.
What size buildings are covered?
Commercial and multifamily buildings of 30,000 sq ft or more, plus City-owned buildings of 10,000 sq ft or more.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
The City sends a warning. If you still have not reported within 30 days, you are billed a $100 fine, and penalties increase while you stay out of compliance.
When do performance standards apply to my building?
Buildings over 100,000 sq ft start in 2028, over 50,000 sq ft in 2029, and 30,000 sq ft and up in 2032.
Can Energy Fave file my Reno report?
Yes. Energy Fave can request NV Energy and TMWA data, submit your Reno report, and plan for the coming performance standards.
Interested in benchmarking help?
Reno at a Glance
- Who's covered
- Commercial & multifamily 30,000+ sq ft
- Next deadline
- April 1, 2027The 2026 report was due April 1, 2026. Not filed yet? We can file it now →
- Late penalty
- $100, then increasing
- Performance standards
- From 2028 (100,000+ sq ft)
- Reporting tool
- ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager