Third-Party Verification Services
What is third-party verification?
Third-party verification (also called benchmarking data verification) is an independent review of your ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager data by a qualified professional before you submit your annual benchmarking report. Cities such as Boston, Chicago and Washington, DC require it on a fixed schedule, and a missed or failed verification can make your report non-compliant.
Energy Fave’s Professional Engineers and Certified Energy Managers provide third-party verification for commercial and multifamily buildings nationwide. For a full explanation of each city’s rules, read our third-party verification guide.
Our third-party verification services
- Document review: we check gross floor area, property type and use details against drawings, leases or assessor records.
- Meter and bill review: we confirm every meter and fuel is included and that 12 months of data match utility bills or aggregated data.
- Error correction: we flag and help fix estimates, gaps and other issues before you file, not after.
- City forms and sign-off: a licensed professional completes and signs your city’s verification form or checklist.
- Filing support: we submit the verified report, or hand it back to your team ready to file.
When we also prepare your benchmarking data, a different licensed professional performs the verification, or we coordinate an independent verifier, as your program requires.
Where third-party verification is required
| Program | How often | Next verification |
|---|---|---|
| Boston BERDO 2.0 | Every 5 years | Most buildings in 2031 |
| Cambridge BEUDO | Baseline years and first year of each compliance period | May 1, 2027 for 100,000+ sq ft |
| Chicago | Every 3 years | Check your March letter |
| Washington, DC | Periodic cycles | May 3, 2027 |
| Detroit | First deadline, then every third | 2027 for 100,000+ sq ft |
| Energize Denver | After the final target year | Varies by target year |
| Evanston | Once, for the baseline | Before 2030 |
| Maryland BEPS | Every 5 years | 2031 |
| Montgomery County, MD | Every 3 years | Check your building’s year |
| Newton BERDO | Second year, then every 5 years | September 15, 2027 |
| Seattle BEPS | Before the first target, then every 5 years | October 1, 2027 for 90,000+ sq ft |
| Chula Vista BESO | 2027 cycle | May 20, 2027 |
Our verification process
- First, we confirm your verification year and the city’s form, credentials and independence rules.
- Next, you share Portfolio Manager access, utility bills and floor area records through a simple checklist.
- Then our licensed professional reviews the data and sends you a short list of any corrections.
- After that, we confirm the corrections and complete the verification form or attestation.
- Finally, the verified report is submitted by the deadline and you receive a copy for your records.
Plan aheadBook verification 6 to 8 weeks before your deadline
Who can be a third-party verifier?
Most programs accept a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), a licensed architect or a Certified Energy Manager (CEM), and some accept other credentials. Verifiers must also be independent: Washington, DC, for example, does not allow the owner, an owner’s employee or the person who entered the data to verify it. Our team includes Professional Engineers and Certified Energy Managers, and we match each project to the credentials your city requires.
What information is needed for verification?
- Portfolio Manager access
- 12 months of utility bills
- Floor area records
- Property use details
- Tenant meter data
- On-site solar data
Third-party verification FAQs
How much does third-party verification cost?
It depends on the number of buildings, meters and the city’s requirements. Contact us with your portfolio and we will send you a quote.
Can you verify data that another firm entered?
Yes. We can review data prepared by owners, property managers or other consultants and list any corrections needed before sign-off.
Do you perform site visits?
Many verifications can be completed from documents. If your program or building requires a site visit, we schedule it as part of the project.
Which cities do you verify in?
We serve clients nationwide, including Boston, Cambridge, Chicago, Washington, DC, Denver, Detroit, Maryland, Seattle and other programs with verification rules.
What if the verifier finds errors?
We list the corrections, help you fix them in Portfolio Manager, and then complete the verification so your report is accurate when you file.
Related: energy benchmarking services, the energy benchmarking compliance guide and the energy audit compliance guide.
Interested in verification help?
Verification at a Glance
- Programs requiring it
- 12+ cities and states
- Accepted verifiers
- PE, licensed architect or CEM
- Typical cycle
- Every 3 to 5 years
- Next deadlines
- May to October 2027
- Our team
- Professional Engineers and CEMs