Group 1 Covered Property

• Any building or group of buildings over 250,000 Sq. Ft.

Group 2 Covered Property

• Any building or group of buildings between 50,000 and 250,000 Sq. Ft.

Annual benchmarking reporting requires 12 calendar months of whole-building energy and building use data. For example, in 2025, building owners must report 12 months of 2024 data.

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.

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.

Chicago Energy Benchmarking Ordinance does not currently have a BPS program.

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.

Under the Chicago Energy Benchmarking Ordinance, data verification was required in the first year of reporting and is required every 3 years thereafter. Below were the first reporting years based on building size:

• Commercial buildings over 250,000 Sq. Ft. – June 1, 2014
• Commercial buildings between 50,000 and 250,000 Sq. Ft. – June 1, 2015
• Residential buildings over 250,000 Sq. Ft. – June 1, 2015
• Residential buildings between 50,000 and 250,000 Sq. Ft. – June 1, 2016

Failure to comply with the Chicago Energy Benchmarking Ordinance will result in a $100 fine and an additional $25 per day until the building is in compliance.

CONTACT US HERE to learn more and get started with compliance.

Chicago Energy Benchmarking Ordinance 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.

Ordinances such as Chicago Energy 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.

Property Size

All existing buildings over 20,000 Sq. Ft.

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.

June 30, 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.

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.

Final BPS requirements by Evanston have yet to be published, but we do know that covered buildings will need to comply with the following by 2050:

• Be below an energy efficiency threshold measured by maximum normalized site energy use intensity (EUI)
• Zero normalized onsite and district thermal greenhouse gas emissions
• 100% of electricity usage sourced through renewable electricity

Properties will have different interim targets based on their property types.

BPS Due Dates TBD

Beginning in June 2031, covered buildings will need to show progress towards the 2050 goals (mentioned in the previous question) annually.

The city will soon be releasing interim performance standards that must be met in the calendar years: 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045, and 2050.

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.

Under Evanston HBO, data verification will be required beginning January 1, 2026. A certified professional must verify the first baseline BPS year, interim performance years, and final performance year.

Failure to comply with Evanston’s benchmarking policy will result in a $250 penalty per violation. Every month for which the violation continues will be deemed a separate offense.

Violations of Evanston’s building performance standards will be fined based on the total number of performance standards missed, the value of the covered property, and the magnitude of non-compliance.

CONTACT US HERE to learn more and get started with compliance.

Evanston HBO 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.

Ordinances such as Evanston HBO 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.