The City of Chula Vista Building Energy Savings Ordinance (BESO) is a citywide energy benchmarking & disclosure program requiring owners of existing buildings to report energy use annually, using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®. Effective as of 2019, this program provides building owners insight into their building’s energy efficiency and helps meet the City of Chula Vista’s Climate Action Plan goals.
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WHAT BUILDINGS ARE COVERED UNDER CHULA VISTA BESO?
Property Size
Existing buildings 20,000 Sq. Ft. and larger.
WHAT INFORMATION IS REQUIRED FOR BENCHMARKING?
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.
WHEN ARE CHULA VISTA BESO BENCHMARKING REPORTS DUE?
May 20, 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.
Note: For the 2026 reporting year, the Chula Vista BESO benchmarking deadline has been extended to June 30.
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.
Chula Vista BESO requires covered properties to meet either performance target compliance requirements or provisional compliance requirements.
Performance Target Compliance
Every five years, the building must submit a verified ENERGY STAR report showing that it has decreased its Site EUI-WN from the Baseline Year according to the following schedule:
| Tier | Baseline Year ENERGY STAR Score | Baseline Year Site EUI-WN (kBtu / sf / year) |
Improvement Target Site EUI-WN Reduction (kBtu / sf / year) |
| 1 | 0-45 | 80+ | 30% |
| 2 | 46-65 | 51-79 | 20% |
| 3 | 66-79 | 19-50 | 10% |
| 4 | 80+ | 0-18 | None |
Provisional Compliance
The property must submit a verified ENERGY STAR report showing that it has decreased its Site EUI-WN by at least 50% of the improvement target in the table above and must perform retro-commissioning on the building and implement energy conservation measures.
WHEN ARE CHULA VISTA BESO BPS REPORTS DUE?
BPS Due Date
| Requirement | Compliance Filing Deadline |
| Benchmarking | May 20 of each year beginning in 2022 |
| Direct Disclosure and Public Disclosure | September 1 of each year beginning in 2022 |
| Baseline Year Benchmarking Data Verification | 2027, or the year immediately after the first full year of operation, whichever is later |
| Performance Target Compliance | Every five (5) years beginning 2028, with Benchmarking Requirements |
| Provisional Compliance: Retro-Commissioning or Audits | June 30, 2028 or five years after certificate of occupancy or temporary certificate of occupancy, whichever is later |
| Provisional Compliance: Multifamily Measures | June 30, 2028 |
| Provisional Compliance: Interim and Final Performance Targets | Interim Target Date – 2032 or 10 years after certificate of occupancy or temporary certificate of occupancy, whichever is later
Final Target Date – 2042 or 20 years after certificate of occupancy or temporary certificate of occupancy, whichever is later |
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.
Under Chula Vista BESO, data verification is required in the Baseline Year data and for data that is used to demonstration compliance with Conservation requirements.
WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES IF YOU DON'T COMPLY WITH CHULA VISTA BESO?
Failure to comply with Chula Vista BESO will result in monthly fines up to $750 (20,000 to 49,999 Sq. Ft.), $1500 (50,000 to 99,999 Sq. Ft.), and $2,250 (100,000 Sq. Ft.).
HOW DO I COMPLY WITH CHULA VISTA BESO?
CONTACT US HERE to learn more and get started with compliance.
Chula Vista BESO 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 CHULA VISTA BESO COMPLIANCE?
Ordinances such as Chula Vista BESO 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.
CHULA VISTA BESO RESOURCES
Climate Policy
Chula Vista Climate Action Plan
Bill Text
Ordinance No. 3615
Ordinance Homepage
Chula Vista Building Energy Saving Ordinance (BESO)
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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