Buildings 10,000 square feet or greater (including multifamily buildings of five or more units) now have until at least October 1, 2012 to comply with Seattle’s energy benchmarking and reporting program. In response to public input that more assistance and time is needed to comply, the City is evaluating the program and considering staggered reporting deadlines based on building size.
City Program Expands, More Buildings to Improve Energy Efficiency
The City of Seattle is sending letters to the owners of 8,000 buildings this week informing them of its new building energy-efficiency program. The program aims to help building owners and managers reduce their energy costs through benchmarking – or measuring and rating a building’s energy performance. By benchmarking, owners get insight into how their building uses – and wastes – energy and can begin identifying opportunities to improve energy efficiency and increase savings.
Energy Benchmarking Program Will Help Building Owners Take a Bite Out of Energy Bills
Want to lower your energy bills but don’t know where to begin? Start with “benchmarking” your building. Benchmarking—a free and easy way to track a building’s energy performance—gives owners and managers a better sense of how their buildings are using (and wasting) energy, and also helps identify opportunities to increase building efficiency and lower energy bills.