Los Angeles Energy Benchmarking
What is Los Angeles Existing Buildings Energy & Water Efficiency Ordinance?
EBEWE, which stands for Los Angeles Existing Building Energy Benchmarking and Water Efficiency Program, serves as the City of Los Angeles’ ordinance focused on disclosing and enhancing building performance. EBEWE mandates that owners of sizable buildings assess their energy consumption and submit reports to the City of Los Angeles. Subsequently, the city will make this information available online, enabling owners to gauge their buildings’ performance against others in the area.
What buildings are required per Los Angeles Existing Buildings Energy & Water Efficiency Ordinance?
- All buildings over 20,000 square feet.
- City-owned buildings over 7,500 square feet.
Your building may qualify for an exemption from reporting if:
The building did not have a Certificate of Occupancy or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for the entire calendar year required to be benchmarked;
The entire building was not occupied, due to renovation, for the entire calendar year required to be benchmarked;
The demolition permit for the entire building has been issued and demolition work has commenced on or before the date the benchmarking report is due for that calendar year;
The building did not receive energy or water services for the entire calendar year required to be benchmarked.
What is the penalty for non-compliance?
Buildings failing to adhere to BEWES regulations by the specified deadline may face public disclosure starting in 2019 and could incur a fine, the amount of which will be determined.
What is the compliance process?
Building owners are required to register their buildings with LADBS and verify property information. Following registration, they must pay the annual fee. Subsequently, they are to report their energy usage data to Energy Star Portfolio Manager, a reporting tool facilitating comparisons of building energy efficiency with similar structures.
What is the deadline for Los Angeles Existing Buildings Energy & Water Efficiency Compliance?
EBEWE 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 Los Angeles Existing Buildings Energy & Water Efficiency ordinance?
EBEWE operates with the overarching goal of significantly reducing the collective energy and water usage across the city. By implementing robust benchmarking mechanisms and stringent performance requirements, EBEWE endeavors to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and curtail excessive water consumption on a citywide scale. Through this program, building owners are empowered to not only identify areas for improvement but also to seize cost-effective opportunities to enhance the efficiency of their buildings, thereby fostering a sustainable urban environment while simultaneously cutting down on wasteful energy and water practices.
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]