Energy Benchmarking

Update, March 25, 2012:

On March 21st, 2012, DDOE and the DC Sustainable Energy Utility co-sponsored an ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager training. Download a copy of the presentations, which covered both the latest information on DC’s benchmarking regulations and an extensive presentation on how to use Portfolio Manager. More trainings will be coming this spring and will be announced shortly.

Important Benchmarking Update, February 21, 2012:

The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) held a Public Meeting with stakeholders on February 21st at 12:30pm at 1200 First Street, N.E., 5th Floor, Washington, D.C., 20002, to provide interested parties an opportunity to comment the District’s regulations and associated guidance on Energy Performance Benchmarking of Privately-Owned Buildings. The District first proposed Energy Star benchmarking regulations on October 21, 2011, and having received extensive comments on the proposed regulations, now seeks further public input from stakeholders before we formally re-propose the regulations. To learn the latest status of the benchmarking regulations and what changes DDOE is proposing, download a copy of DDOE's presentation. If you have any comments, send them to info.benchmark@dc.gov as soon as possible.

Please note that, regardless of past notices about data being due in January or April 2012, no building owner will have to submit energy benchmarking data to the District prior to the regulation being finalized later this spring. Building owners will be given a grace period after the regulations are final in order to allow them time to collect needed data and benchmark their building(s).

We are grateful for your patience throughout this process. If you have any questions, please call 202-671-3042 or e-mail info.benchmark@dc.gov. You can also sign up for DDOE's energy benchmarking mailing list.

- Public Building Benchmarking Results
- More Information on the Private Building Benchmarking Program

General Information on the District’s Energy Benchmarking Program

The District is taking proactive measures to reduce energy use in public and private buildings and help building owners better understand and manage energy usage in their buildings. A city-wide Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions found that buildings are responsible for 74% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the District. Electricity, natural gas, and other fuels account for a significant part of building operating budgets. More efficient energy use will help building owners reduce operating costs and help the environment.

The Green Building Act of 2006 (GBA) and the Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008 (CAEA) that establish the legislative requirements for buildings' environmental performance require the District Government to benchmark energy use for public buildings 10,000 square feet or larger. In addition, over the next few years we will be phasing in benchmarking for private buildings over 50,000 square feet. Energy benchmarking evaluates the usage of energy in buildings. Using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR software tool, Portfolio Manager, the District of Columbia tracks buildings' energy usages and compares energy performance of one building to other similar buildings across the country.

Please submit all comments and questions about energy benchmarking to: info.benchmark@dc.gov.