Pittsburgh building owners:

What is the Building Benchmarking Ordinance?

Pittsburgh’s Building Benchmarking Ordinance requires owners of large, nonresidential buildings to report energy and water usage annually. This increased transparency allows businesses and individuals to make informed choices related to building specifications while also providing a method for tracking building efficiency and monitoring for maintenance needs. The ordinance was adopted in October of 2016 and reporting deadlines began in 2017.

Purpose

The ordinance’s goal is to ensure the long-term vitality of the community. Through benchmarking, the City of Pittsburgh hopes to make progress towards the Pittsburgh 2030 District’s energy and water reduction goals of a 50% reduction below the baseline usage. Beyond contributing to the city’s climate goals, the requirements provide valuable information that can help building owners improve the performance of their properties in ways that benefit their bottom line, as well as enhance the comfort of work and living spaces for tenants.

Does it impact me?

If you own or manage nonresidential buildings over 50,000 square feet or portions of mixed use buildings with at least 50,000 square feet of nonresidential space, you must track and report your energy consumption according to the City’s compliance deadlines.

What are the deadlines?

The compliance deadline for all affected buildings to report their annual energy and water usage is June 1 every year.

How do I comply?

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.