California Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance
What is California Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance?
The California Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance, also known as Assembly Bill (AB) 802, is a statewide regulation that requires certain buildings to annually track and report their energy consumption data to the California Energy Commission (CEC).
What buildings are required per California Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance?
- Commercial buildings over 50,000 square feet.
- Multi family residential buildings over 50,000 square feet.
Your building may qualify for an exemption from reporting if:
- Your building is a condominium, as described in Section 4125 or 6542 of the California Civil Code.
- Your building has between 1 and 16 residential utility accounts.
- Your building did not have a certificate of occupancy or temporary certificate of occupancy for more than half of the calendar year for which reporting to the Energy Commission is required.
- Your building is scheduled to be demolished one year or less from the reporting date.
- Your building has more than half of the gross floor area used for scientific experiments requiring a controlled environment or for manufacturing or industrial purposes.
- Your building was benchmarked under a local program listed on the CEC’s exempted local benchmarking ordinances.
What is the penalty for non-compliance?
The Energy Commission has the authority to issue fines for noncompliance, after allowing a 30-day period to correct a violation. Building owners who have missed the June 1 reporting deadline are urged to report as soon as possible. The law allows for a civil penalty of $500 to $2,000 per day for each category of data not provided and for each day the violation continues.
What is the compliance process?
- Set up your account: Create an account in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
- Add your buildings: Enter information for each building you need to report on.
- Input energy data: Enter the energy use data for each building you listed.
- Access reporting: Visit the CEC’s Report Benchmarking Data page and click the reporting link. This will automatically log you in to Portfolio Manager.
- Submit your report: Once logged in to Portfolio Manager, submit your completed report.
What is the deadline for California Building Energy Benchmarking Compliance?
California Energy Commission (CEC) requires that building owners annually submit their energy usage data using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool by June 1st.
What utilities are required for benchmarking reporting?
- Water
- Electricity
- Natural Gas
- District Energy
- Any other purchased fuel
What is the purpose for California Building Energy Benchmarking ordinance?
California Building Energy Benchmarking law (AB 802) has three goals:
- Transparency: Track and report building energy use, informing owners and the public.
- Efficiency: Benchmarking helps identify areas for improvement, leading to cost savings and better building performance.
- Sustainability: Reduced energy use across the state contributes to a cleaner environment.
Interested in benchmarking help?
If you are interested to learn more how Energy Fave can help with Energy benchmarking for your building or if you have more questions about the whole reporting process, feel free to email us: [email protected]