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
Multifamily Housing | Jul 31, 2019
Amenities war no more? Research report explores multifamily market
Multifamily developers show no signs of pulling back on specialty spaces and unique offerings in an effort to attract high-quality tenants, according to new research from Multifamily Design+Construction.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 31, 2019
100% affordable housing development features 62-units for low-income households
Magnusson Architecture + Planning is designing the project.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 24, 2019
Multifamily transformation: Historic mansion converted to short-term housing for homeless families
The 1885 Victorian home in Cambridge, Mass., gets a new, energy-efficient life as Renae's Place, short-term housing for homeless women and their children.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 23, 2019
Is prefab in your future?
The most important benefit of offsite construction, when done right, is reliability.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 17, 2019
What multifamily developers are saying about Ori Living's robotic interior system
This robotically controlled, space-saving furniture system can add more than 100 square feet of usable space to apartment units.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 17, 2019
Robotic interiors: How to make a studio apartment feel as big as a one-bedroom unit
Meet Ori Living's robotically controlled, space-saving furniture system.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 17, 2019
Cost of living: Apartment construction costs for 2019
Using RSMeans data from Gordian, here are the most recent construction costs for low-rise and mid-rise apartment buildings across 10 U.S. cities.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 15, 2019
Call for entries: Student housing roundup
We're looking for the best new "student housing" communities for our Fall Issue of Multifamily Design+Construction.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 15, 2019
7 new multifamily developments to track this summer
Ballpark living in Anaheim, Calif., and a water-friendly apartment complex in Seattle highlight the noteworthy multifamily developments to open in 2019.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 27, 2019
David Baker Architects wins 2019 HUD 'best in affordable housing' honor
The firm's Williams Terrace project is the first dedicated housing for Charleston, S.C.’s low-income seniors. It's one of four developments to win 2019 AIA/HUD housing awards.