The City of Des Moines Energy and Water Use 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 June 2019, this program provides building owners insight into their building’s energy efficiency and helps meet the City of Des Moines’ Climate Action Plan goals.
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WHAT BUILDINGS ARE COVERED UNDER DES MOINES BENCHMARKING?
Covered Property
Any building 25,000 Sq. Ft. or larger.
City Covered Property
Any covered property that is owned entirely or leased by the City of Des Moines.
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 DES MOINES BENCHMARKING REPORTS DUE?
July 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.
Des Moines 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.
Des Moines does not require data verification at this time.
WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES IF YOU DON'T COMPLY WITH DES MOINES BENCHMARKING?
The ordinance allows for non-compliance penalties potentially up to $750 per offense with repeated violations may face fines up to $1,000 per offense.
The City has stated that it will not enforce fines at this moment.
HOW DO I COMPLY WITH DES MOINES BENCHMARKING?
CONTACT US HERE to learn more and get started with compliance.
Des Moines 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 DES MOINES BENCHMARKING COMPLIANCE?
Ordinances such as Des Moines 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.
DES MOINES BENCHMARKING RESOURCES
Climate Policy
Adapt DSM
Bill Text
Article IX – Energy and Water Use Benchmarking
Ordinance Homepage
City of Des Moines Energy Benchmarking
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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