Town of Bedford Energy Benchmarking

The purpose of this chapter is to establish a registry of all Residential Rental Property, as defined herein, which will enable the Town to identify persons responsible for the care and management of such properties to require Health and Safety Inspections of such properties, obtain Building Diagnostic Tests and/or require reporting of Energy use and tenant Energy costs in buildings, to provide information or technical assistance, improve building performance, and to disclose information to the public to support the health and well-being of residents.

It is the intent of this Chapter to improve the health and wellbeing of tenants and the people of the Town by requiring the reporting and disclosure of Building Performance Information for all Residential Rental Property. Collecting, reporting and sharing Building Performance Information on a regular basis allows Owners and occupants to understand their buildings’ performance relative to similar buildings. Equipped with this information, Owners and government agencies are able to make smarter and more cost effective operational and capital investment decisions, improve health conditions, boost efficiency, and drive widespread, continuous improvement in building energy efficiency and building performance.

All Residential Rental Property are required to benchmark annually.

Exemption:

• The Residential Rental Property is presently experiencing qualifying financial distress

• The Rental Property is new construction and the Residential Rental Property’s certificate of occupancy was issued during the calendar year for which a Health and Safety Inspection, Benchmarking, Building Performance Information or other disclosure is required.

• The Owner of a Residential Rental Property indicates, in a form to be determined by the Building Department or its designee, that despite good faith efforts, the Owner could not satisfy the requirements of this Chapter by the imposed deadlines.

Every June 1 for commercial, residential, and municipal buildings greater than 50,000 square feet.

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

• Failure to comply with any of the provisions of this Chapter shall constitute a violation of the Code of the Town of Bedford

• A violation of this chapter shall constitute an unclassified misdemeanor, and any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter, or any person who shall knowingly assist therein, shall be liable to a minimum fine of $250 and a maximum fine of $5,000, or imprisonment not exceeding six (6) months, or both such fine and imprisonment. Each and every day that any such violation continues following notification that such violation exists shall constitute a separate offense. Anyinitial notice of violationshall be written by the Building Inspector, or his or her designee, or by the Third Party Inspector and shall be served by mail or made by personal service on the Owner.

• This Section shall not constitute the exclusive remedy of the Town of Bedford for a violation of this Chapter, but shall be an addition to any other remedies available thereto, including but not limited to commencing a proceeding to obtain injunctive relief.

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.

• Town of Bedford Energy Benchmarking Requirements

• Town of Bedford Rental Property Health and Performance Law

Touchstone IQ for Buildings offers expert-led benchmarking and easy DIY tools for Town of Bedfords’ residential rental 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, public, or residential 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.