Chicago Energy Benchmarking Ordinance
What is Chicago Energy Benchmarking Ordinance ?
Chicago Energy Benchmarking Ordinance mandates that all commercial, residential, and government buildings exceeding 50,000 square feet must annually monitor whole-building energy consumption, verify data accuracy, and submit their reports to the City. This legislation encompasses more than 900 million square feet of real estate, ranking second highest among U.S. cities with similar regulations.
What buildings are required per Chicago's ordinance?
Residential, commercial, or municipal building with 50,000 square feet or more
Third-party data verification is required every three (3) years.
Your building may qualify for an exemption from reporting if:
- The building is presently experiencing qualifying financial distress, as defined by any of the following: (1) the building is the subject of a qualified tax lien sale or public auction due to property tax arrearages, (2) the building is controlled by a court-appointed receiver, or (3) the building has been acquired by a deed in lieu of foreclosure.
- The building had average physical occupancy of less than 50 percent throughout the calendar year for which benchmarking is required.
- The building is new construction and the building’s certificate of occupancy was issued during the calendar year for which benchmarking is required.
- The building had a change of ownership in the calendar year for which benchmarking is required.
What is the penalty for non-compliance?
Offenders of the ordinance could face a penalty of up to $100 for the initial violation, along with an extra fine of up to $25 for each subsequent day the violation persists.
What is the compliance process?
Building owners must report their energy usage data to Energy Star Portfolio Manager, a reporting tool that allows building owners to compare their building’s energy efficiency with similar buildings.
What is the deadline for Chicago Energy Benchmarking Compliance?
Residential, commercial, and municipal buildings greater than 50,000 square feet must submit their report by June 1st.
What utilities are required for benchmarking reporting?
- Electricity
- Natural Gas
- District Energy
- Any other purchased fuel
How Do I comply with Chicago Energy benchmarking ordinance?
Building owners must report their energy usage data to Energy Star Portfolio Manager, a reporting tool that allows building owners to compare their building’s energy efficiency with similar buildings.
To finalize the benchmarking procedure, you must generate a Data Verification Checklist in Portfolio Manager, have a certified professional review and endorse the data, and include the data verifier’s details in Portfolio Manager. Please note that this step is mandatory only once every three years.
What is the purpose for Chicago Energy Benchmarking ordinance?
As an integral element of Sustainable Chicago 2015, a three-year initiative aimed at enhancing Chicago’s sustainability and livability, this ordinance plays a crucial role. It represents a concentrated endeavor to unleash substantial energy savings within the city’s 500,000 buildings, contributing to the overall improvement of commercial energy efficiency.
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]