San Jose Energy Benchmarking

On December 11, 2018, the City of San José voted to adopt the Energy and Water Building Performance Ordinance (BPO). The BPO requires owners of nonresidential and multifamily buildings that are 20,000 square feet or larger in size to annually track their energy and water use with the EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager® platform and share it with the City of San José.

This program builds on existing state law (CA Assembly Bill 802) and will help the City reach the greenhouse gas emission reduction and water conservation goals of Climate Smart San José. Your compliance with this ordinance meets City and State requirements and helps to achieve climate action goals, reduce air pollution, save water, and improve the quality of life in San José.

If you own or manage any commercial or multifamily building of at least 20,000 square feet, you are required to comply. In addition, your buildings will be required to meet set energy and water performance standards starting as early as 2023. If you do not meet these standards, your building must conduct an Energy Audit or Retro-Commissioning study in order to make energy and water efficiency improvements.

Your building may qualify for an exemption if any of the following apply:

• The Property did not have a Certificate of Occupancy or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for the entire calendar year required to be Benchmarked;

• The entire Property was not occupied, due to renovation, for the entire calendar year required to be Benchmarked;

• The demolition permit for the entire Property has been issued and demolition work has commenced on or before the date the Benchmarking Report is due for that calendar year;

• The Property did not receive Energy or water services for the entire calendar year required to be Benchmarked;

• The Property is in Financial Distress. The disclosure of the Property Energy or water use data would result in the release of proprietary information that can be characterized as a trade secret or would otherwise violate a customer's right to privacy under the California Constitution or other applicable laws.

The city requires building owners to report their energy and water usage annually via the ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager tool by May 1st.

All energy utilities including electricity, natural gas, district energy, and any other purchased fuel type used to operate your building.

Water is another utility that’s required for reporting.

The fines for non-compliance are as follows:

• Buildings under 50,000 square feet may be fined $25 for each day of noncompliance, up to $2,500 per calendar year.

• Buildings 50,000 square feet and above may be fined $50 for each day of noncompliance, up to $5,000 per calendar year.

Building owners must report their energy usage data to EPA’s Portfolio Manager, a reporting tool that allows building owners to compare their building’s energy efficiency with similar buildings.

However:

• Touchstone IQ for Buildings is a fast, easy-to-use tool that integrates directly with EPA’s Portfolio Manager

• Touchstone IQ also offers expert-led benchmarking to building owners and managers looking for streamlined compliance and cost-saving recommendations

Many benchmarking ordinances require a Building ID as part of the report submission process. If needed, you may be able to find your Building ID number here.

San Jose large properties are exempt from California state energy benchmarking laws and only have to report to the City. Learn more about exempted local benchmarking ordinances in California here.

• San Jose Energy and Water Building Performance Program

• San Jose's Energy and Water Building Performance Ordinance (BPO)

• San Jose Beyond Benchmarking Requirements

Touchstone IQ for Buildings offers expert-led benchmarking and easy DIY tools for San Jose’s large properties. Simplify energy benchmarking compliance while gaining the tools to save money and build your energy intelligence with our exclusive software platform. Gain access to the nation's leading energy experts to ensure significant improvements in your energy usage for your commercial, multifamily, or public building. Our team has partnered with entities of all sizes to reduce their carbon footprint, reach ambitious targets, and comply with new regulations. Whether you're looking for comprehensive, step-by-step guidance to craft your energy management plan or a convenient, intuitive benchmarking solution, we've got you covered. Schedule your free personalized demo today or contact us for pricing or questions.