In July of this year, we reported on the new Energy Benchmarking regulation for the City of Philadelphia. The bill established a system of reporting electric, oil, natural gas, steam and water usage for non-residential buildings greater than 50,000 square feet. Owners are required to score their properties based on the Energy Star ranking system created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The initial date for compliance with this rule was October 31, 2013. However, due to the government shutdown, the Portfolio Manager online tool is not available for use. On October 9, 2013, the City of Philadelphia stated that Philadelphia’s reporting deadline for 2012 usages will be pushed back at least as many days as the tool is offline. Keep in mind that the reporting deadline for 2013 usage will still be June 1, 2013.
Failure to comply with the regulation could result in a fine of $300 the first month the data is late, and a $100/day penalty following the initial 30 days.
Additionally, there was supposed to be an educational session on the benchmarking ordinance on October 9, 2013. However, the shutdown caused this to be cancelled. It has now been rescheduled for November 13, 2013. You can sign up for this session here.
EES can provide assistance to facilities that need to comply with this new benchmarking requirement.