The City of Ann Arbor Energy and Water Benchmarking and Disclosure Ordinance, is a citywide energy benchmarking & disclosure program requiring owners of existing buildings to report energy and water use annually, using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®. Effective as of October 2021, this program provides building owners insight into their building’s energy efficiency and helps meet the City of Ann Arbor’s Climate Action Plan goals.
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WHAT BUILDINGS ARE COVERED UNDER ANN ARBOR BENCHMARKING?
Property Size
All buildings and campuses over 20,000 Sq. Ft.
WHAT INFORMATION IS REQUIRED FOR BENCHMARKING?
Annual benchmarking reporting requires 12 calendar months of whole-building energy, water, and building use data. For example, in 2025, building owners must report 12 months of 2024 data.
WHEN ARE ANN ARBOR BENCHMARKING REPORTS DUE?
June 1, annually. Benchmarking reports must be submitted on an annual basis using the previous year’s data via ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®. This is the EPA’s benchmarking tool that is used for compliance reporting in most ordinances across the country.
WHAT INFORMATION IS REQUIRED FOR BPS?
Building Performance Standards (BPS) are often considered Phase II of these building energy use ordinances. After reporting your benchmarking data, many ordinances require you to make changes to the building’s operations or equipment to lower energy use over time.
Ann Arbor does not have a BPS requirement at this time.
WHAT IS THIRD-PARTY DATA VERIFICATION?
Third-party data verification requires owners/managers of covered buildings to hire a third-party expert who will independently review and verify the building’s benchmarking data.
Ann Arbor does not currently require data verification.
WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES IF YOU DON'T COMPLY WITH ANN ARBOR BENCHMARKING?
Failure to comply with Ann Arbor’s Benchmarking Ordinance will result in a $500 fine. Any subsequent violations will result in a $1,000 fine per offense.
HOW DO I COMPLY WITH ANN ARBOR BENCHMARKING?
CONTACT US HERE to learn more and get started with compliance.
Ann Arbor Energy and Water Benchmarking compliance can be confusing and hard to navigate. Bringing on a consultant like VCA Green streamlines the entire process while ensuring accurate reporting. We also offer free consultations with our benchmarking clients to review the reports and identify inefficiencies to improve.
WHEN SHOULD I START ANN ARBOR BENCHMARKING COMPLIANCE?
Ordinances such as Ann Arbor Energy and Water Benchmarking are already in effect across the country, and deadlines are rapidly approaching. Retrieving historical building data will take time, especially when coordinating with property managers and utilities.
Waiting until the last minute risks missing compliance windows resulting in fines and enforcement penalties. VCA Green takes every measure to ensure complete and accurate data collection. The sooner you reach out, the sooner you will reach compliance.
ANN ARBOR BENCHMARKING RESOURCES
Climate Policy
Ann Arbor Climate Action Plan
Bill Text
Ordinance No. Ord. 21-30
Ordinance Homepage
Energy and Water Benchmarking and Disclosure Ordinance
VCA GREEN PROCESS
With every phase of the process, VCA Green’s experienced and knowledgeable team is here to guide you on the results, options, and path forward to meet your compliance goals.
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