Pittsburgh Energy Benchmarking Compliance Services

Pittsburgh Energy Benchmarking & Compliance Services

The City of Pittsburgh's Building Benchmarking Ordinance is a mandatory regulation designed to increase building energy transparency and drive the city's sustainability goals. This ordinance requires owners of large, non-residential and mixed-use buildings to track and report their energy and water usage annually.

Our team specializes in providing comprehensive compliance services for Pittsburgh property owners and facility managers. As a dedicated Pittsburgh energy benchmarking provider, we simplify the entire process, ensuring you meet the annual reporting deadline and avoid significant non-compliance fines.

Mandatory Pittsburgh Energy Benchmarking (Annual Reporting):

Benchmarking is the first, crucial step in compliance, providing a performance baseline for your building.

What It Is: Mandatory annual measurement and tracking of your building's energy and water consumption using the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. This data is publicly disclosed by the city.

Who It’s For:

• Any non-residential building with indoor floor space of 50,000 square feet or more.

• Non-residential portions of any mixed-use building where at least 50,000 square feet is non-residential space.

Key Annual Deadline:

• The compliance deadline for reporting energy and water data is June 1st every year.

• Exemption requests are typically due 60 days prior (around April 2nd).

Our Service: We deliver swift, hands-off compliance. We manage utility data acquisition (including water data), set up/maintain your Portfolio Manager account, verify data accuracy, and submit the final report to the City of Pittsburgh on your behalf by the mandatory June 1st deadline.

Pittsburgh Compliance Risk and Penalty Avoidance:

Non-compliance with the Pittsburgh Building Benchmarking Ordinance exposes your property to daily fines, which can escalate quickly.

• Buildings Under 50,000 sq. ft. (Voluntary): Fines up to $2,500 per calendar year.

• Buildings Over 50,000 sq. ft. (Mandatory): Fines up to $5,000 per calendar year.

We proactively manage your compliance schedule to eliminate the risk of these penalties.

Exemptions and Alternative Compliance Pathways

The ordinance recognizes that some buildings cannot comply due to unique circumstances. We help you determine eligibility for required exemptions.

• Common Benchmarking Exemptions: We can assess if your property qualifies for an exemption due to factors such as:

  • Average physical occupancy of less than fifty (50) percent throughout the calendar year.

  • Receiving a demolition permit (if work has commenced).

  • Inability to obtain necessary data from a utility or tenant.

• Required Audits (Future Requirement): While annual reporting is the primary mandate, the city is focused on building performance. We can guide you on requirements for future Energy Audits or Retro-Commissioning Studies, often triggered by low-performing buildings.