The Windy City is the latest U.S. city to enact legislation that mandates building energy benchmarking and disclosure for owners of large commercial and residential buildings. The ordinance was introduced in June 2013 and passed city council vote on Wednesday.
In developing the Chicago Energy Use Benchmarking & Transparency Ordinance, city officials reached out to eight U.S. cities that have enacted similar benchmarking legislation and adopted the best elements of each program.
During a panel discussion at BD+C's BUILDINGChicago conference this week, Jamie Ponce, Chicago City Director of the C40 - Clinton Climate Initiative, outlined the elements that differentiate Chicago's benchmarking ordinance. The most unique element, said Ponce, is a rule that mandates the verification of building energy data every three years. The data must be checked and verified by a registered architect, professional engineer, or other trained professional designated by the city. Chicago will be the only city with such a mandate.
"We asked representatives from the eight other cities what they would add or do differently, and the overwhelming majority mentioned the need for data quality and accuracy," said Ponce. "They said they were getting some questionable data from building owners."
Causes range from errors in data entry to owners not fully considering all aspects of the building in calculating the energy performance. "It's helpful to have an additional data check," added Ponce. The city will offer low- and no-cost verification options for building owners who cannot afford third-party data verification services.
Here's a breakdown of Chicago's benchmarking ordinance (click image to enlarge):
Here's a comparison of the various U.S. city ordinances (click image to enlarge):
For more on Chicago's ordinance, click here.
Related Stories
Mixed-Use | Sep 25, 2017
One of L.A.’s most sought-after neighborhoods receives a new mixed-use development
The new development will feature 166 units and 9,000 sf of ground-floor retail.
Mixed-Use | Sep 21, 2017
Entire living rooms become balconies in a new Lower East Side mixed-used development
NanaWall panels add a unique dimension to condos at 60 Orchard Street in New York City.
Giants 400 | Sep 20, 2017
Bubble? What bubble?: Apartment and condo construction simply can't keep up with demand
Since the current multifamily boom took off in 2010, most activity has focused on large urban areas.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 20, 2017
New housing development rises from a historic textile mill’s ashes
Loft Five50 will add 137 housing units to Lawrence, Mass.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 19, 2017
Top 90 multifamily construction firms
Lendlease, Suffolk Construction, and Clark Group top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest multifamily sector contractor and construction management firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Sep 18, 2017
Top 40 multifamily engineering firms
WSP, AECOM, and Thronton Tomasetti top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest multifamily sector engineering and EA firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 15, 2017
Hurricane Harvey damaged fewer apartments in greater Houston than estimated
As of Sept. 14, 166 properties reported damage to 8,956 units, about 1.4% of the total supply of apartments, according to ApartmentData.com.
Giants 400 | Sep 14, 2017
Top 95 multifamily architecture firms
Humphreys & Partners Architects, KTGY, and Perkins Eastman top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest multifamily sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 5, 2017
Free WiFi, meeting rooms most popular business services amenities in multifamily developments
Complimentary, building-wide WiFi is more or less a given for marketing purposes in the multifamily arena.
University Buildings | Sep 1, 2017
The University of Texas receives boutique-style student housing complex
The Ruckus Lofts provide 46 furnished units and 165 beds for UT students.
