City of Chicago – Energy Benchmarking Ordinance

The City of Chicago’s Energy Benchmarking Ordinance requires large commercial and multifamily building owners to benchmark, verify, and track their buildings’ energy use through ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager beginning in Summer 2014.

Who is impacted? The Energy Benchmarking Ordinance will be phased in over 3 years based on the building type (commercial or multifamily) and size.

When are the deadlines for complying with the Ordinance? Buildings, depending on size and type, will need to be benchmarked, professionally verified, and submitted to the City by the following deadlines:

• June 1, 2014 – Commercial Buildings > 250,000 SF
• June 1, 2015 – Commercial Buildings > 50,000 SF; Multifamily Buildings > 250,000 SF
• June 1, 2016 – Multifamily Buildings > 50,000 SF

Why did Chicago adopt the Ordinance? The City of Chicago is looking to increase transparency and the amount of information publicly available in regards to buildings’ energy performance. The City is also looking to track progress against its energy reduction and sustainability goals.

What are the benefits of benchmarking? With more data, property owners and managers can be better informed about how much energy their buildings are using (or wasting), as well as have a clearer understanding of how their buildings’ energy use compares to their peers’ when managing, leasing, or purchasing properties.

How do you comply? Cyclone Energy Group’s team of licensed energy professionals and experts can help your buildings meet the Energy Benchmarking Ordinance. Contact us by filling out this form or by calling 312-945-8443.