Curious about the new multifamily ENERGY STAR®, but not sure what to do or how you can benefit? The City of Seattle offers this free workshop for participants that have previously benchmarked their multifamily properties. This hands-on session will teach you how to update your account’s use details to take advantage of the new ENERGY STAR® 1-100 score that is now available to multifamily buildings of 20 units or more.
Seattle Buildings on Track for Major Energy
The Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) recently released the 2011/2012 Seattle Building Energy Benchmarking Analysis report and infographic on building energy use. This report and infographic reveals that Seattle building owners are poised to save tens of millions of dollars on energy annually by improving their building’s energy efficiency.
Own or Manage a Building in Seattle?
For buildings larger than 50,000 square feet that complied last year, most of the work is done. It is important to review and update existing benchmarking data before the upcoming April 1 deadline. Doing so is the owner’s responsibility to ensure an accurate and on-time report of 2012 energy performance.
New Incentives for Energy Conservation in Commercial Buildings
Seattle City Light is seeking three commercial office buildings to participate in a three-year pilot program to test an energy conservation concept known as “Pay-for-Performance.” Under this pilot, City Light will provide financial incentives through ongoing payments for incremental energy savings, rather than on a one-time basis as is done through its traditional energy conservation programs.
Energy Benchmarking Ordinance – New Deadlines
On September 17, 2012, Seattle City Council passed legislation to extend the reporting deadline for non-residential and multifamily buildings 20,000 to 49,999 square feet to April 1, 2013. Reporting will be voluntary for buildings less than 20,000 square feet. Multifamily apartment and condo buildings 50,000 square feet or larger, however, were due on October 1, 2012.
Report Energy Use for Apartments or Condo Building by October 1
With the energy benchmarking reporting deadline just a few weeks away, owners and managers of multifamily properties 50,000 square feet or greater should take advantage of free workshops and other support now.
Energy Benchmarking: New Proposed Deadlines & Overdue Notices
On July 24, 2012, Seattle City Council’s Environment and Energy Committeeheard a proposal to extend the reporting deadline to April 1, 2013 for non-residential and multifamily buildings 20,000 to 49,999 square feet. The proposal also recommends that energy benchmarking reports be voluntary for buildings less than 20,000 square feet. Multifamily buildings 50,000 square feet larger still need to report their 2011 energy use by October 1, 2012. The proposal also simplifies the ordinance enforcement and penalties.
Is Your Building in Compliance?
Owners and property managers in Seattle with non-residential buildings greater than 50,000 square feet should check that their building(s) 2011 annual energy performance was reported to the City of Seattle. Since October 2011, most buildings of this size have been required to report. A list of buildings larger than 50,000 square feet that are subject to the ordinance is now available on the website, www.seattle.gov/EnergyBenchmarking.
June Publication Updates
DPD released one Director’s Rule, Implementation of Energy Performance Benchmarking.
Energy Benchmarking & Reporting Program: Check Your Compliance
Even if you are already benchmarking, please review these tips if your building was subject to the October 3, 2011 reporting deadline (>50,000 single-family, non-residential buildings).
