The City of Detroit Energy and Water Benchmarking 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 September 2023, this program provides building owners insight into their building’s energy efficiency and helps meet the City of Detroit’s Climate Action Plan goals.
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WHAT BUILDINGS ARE COVERED UNDER DETROIT BENCHMARKING?
Property Size
All buildings over 25,000 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 2026, building owners must report 12 months of 2025 use data.
WHEN ARE DETROIT 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.
Detroit does not currently have a BPS program.
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.
Detroit does not require data verification.
WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES IF YOU DON'T COMPLY WITH DETROIT BENCHMARKING?
Failure to comply with Detroit’s Energy and Water Benchmarking Ordinance will lead to the issuance of a blight violation. Blight violations can result in a fine of up to $10,000.
HOW DO I COMPLY WITH DETROIT BENCHMARKING?
CONTACT US HERE to learn more and get started with compliance.
Detroit Energy and Water Benchmarking compliance can be confusing and hard to navigate. Bringing on a consultant like Green Econome 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 DETROIT BENCHMARKING COMPLIANCE?
Ordinances such as Detroit 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. Green Econome takes every measure to ensure complete and accurate data collection. The sooner you reach out, the sooner you will reach compliance.
DETROIT BENCHMARKING RESOURCES
Climate Policy
Detroit Climate Strategy Executive Summary
Bill Text
Detroit Energy and Water Benchmarking Ordinance
Ordinance Homepage
Detroit Benchmarking Website
GREEN ECONOME PROCESS
With every phase of the process, Green Econome’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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